


Coffee Shops and Destiny

by lifeandliesofanerd



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst, Child Abuse, Eventual Smut, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Violence, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:01:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 47,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25794046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeandliesofanerd/pseuds/lifeandliesofanerd
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha really needs a place to live for his freshman year at Konoha University. There was only one listing that said he could move in immediately, posted by Konoha University Junior, Naruto Uzumaki.Their pasts may be different in detail, but the pain caused is the same. Can they overcome the darkness that haunts them both?
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 365
Kudos: 253





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! I just finished watching Shippuden and I couldn't help but be upset with how it ended. So I'm taking things into my own hands and writing this SasuNaru fic. It's been a while since I wrote a fanfic, and I hope I can keep going with this one! Please let me know what you think! Comments and kudos are great motivators!

Naruto Uzumaki woke with a start, images from his nightmare flashing through his mind. He pressed his eyelids together and shook the dream away. It was the first day of August, and he needed to find a new roommate before his classes resumed in September. Naruto rolled from his bed onto the wooden floor, and yelped to find he had landed on a half-crushed beer can. He stood and let out a yawn, rubbing the new sore spot from the can as he wandered over to his desk. His laptop growled as it started up again, and Naruto stared dazedly into space until it allowed him to enter his password. The computer finally loaded and he navigated to the listing he had put out for a roommate to replace Shikamaru. 

Shikamaru had been Naruto’s roommate for their sophomore year, but now he was moving in with his long-time girlfriend, Temari. This left Naruto to find someone to take over Shika’s half of the rent. The blond frowned at the thought. Finding a roommate had been an ordeal thus far. As much as he had begged Gaara to move in with him, Naruto just couldn’t convince him to abandon his brother Kankuro. None of his other friends would give in either, which only left the internet. He sure as hell couldn’t pay for this place by himself for long. His part time job as a cook paid just well enough to cover his share, and he didn’t feel like going broke while he was only a junior. 

The page finally loaded to show exactly one interested party. Naruto raised a blond brow at the profile. It had so little information about its owner. All that was listed was the guy’s name: Sasuke Uchiha. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures. He shrugged and typed up a message to ask when he could meet for coffee.

The thought of coffee tempted Naruto, and he rose from the chair to go satisfy his craving and get ready for work. As he sipped on the brew, the Uzumaki checked his bank account to find that his monthly rent had already been taken out, and that he would be eating instant ramen until his next paycheck. He let out a sigh, having been looking forward to making a decadent noodle bowl. It would have to wait.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha had stayed up all night searching the internet for an apartment to live in near Konoha University. He would be starting his freshman year there in the fall, and there was no way he could afford to stay in the dorms. There had been a few that looked like they might be suitable, but only one had been listed for immediate move-in. Posted by Naruto Uzumaki.

Sasuke watched the sun rise above the horizon as he finally drifted off to sleep. He woke only hours later to the sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen. 

“SASUKE!” his father shouted. Sasuke cringed at the sound of his name, and once again when he saw the time on the alarm clock beside his bed. He rose hesitantly and padded out to the kitchen to find several shattered beer bottles all over the floor. Fugaku was nowhere in sight, and Sasuke let out a breath of relief. Grabbing the broom and dustpan, he set to work cleaning up his drunken father’s mess. 

After the glass was disposed of, Sasuke dared to peek into his father’s bedroom only to find him passed out on the carpeted floor. Closing the door softly, he crept away from the man and back to his bedroom, hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep if he could. As he entered his bedroom, a notification popped up on his phone, informing him that he had a new message from one Naruto Uzumaki. 

_Can we get coffee sometime soon? Talk about stuff?_

Coffee. Soon. Talk. Sasuke cringed at the idea of asking his father for a ride to Konoha. That wouldn’t be happening any time soon.

_I live far away, and won’t be able to get there. Is there any other way we can discuss? Texting works for me._

Moments later, his phone chimed once again.

_Where do u live?_

Sasuke’s eyebrows raised.

_Suna. Why?_

_Got a day off tomorrow. Any good coffee shops there?_

Sasuke scoffed at the interaction, amazed that this man would drive so far just to meet him. What an idiot.

_I suppose._

_Cool, be there at noon!_

Sasuke fell back into his bed with a nervous sigh. He could be meeting his future roommate tomorrow. He could finally be getting out of the hell he had lived in since he was ten years old. 

Sasuke’s dreams were haunted by his father’s voice, and the picture of his mother’s kind eyes. The look on his brother’s face the last time they saw each other, when Sasuke was only thirteen. 

Itachi left for Konoha University five years ago, and he had turned away from his little brother with no emotion, his eyes filled only with hate for their father. Sasuke had begged his brother not to leave him, not to place the burden of their father’s hate on him alone. But Itachi didn’t listen. The younger Uchiha had cried for weeks on end, hiding under the sheets of his bed, only surfacing when his father screamed for his older brother to clean something. About a month after Itachi had left, Sasuke received his first beating from Fugaku. A scar still resided on his shoulder from that incident, alongside several others. That day, Sasuke swore that he would make Itachi understand how he felt for leaving him the way he did. He would go to Konoha and find his brother. He would show him the scars that Itachi had caused. 

* * *

When Naruto had arranged to go to Suna to meet this Sasuke guy, he hadn’t really thought about how long the drive actually was. So he climbed into his beat up car at nine in the morning, a thermos of coffee in hand. He slurped up the sugary drink as he pulled out of the parking garage. He ran a hand through his blond hair, cursing Sasuke Uchiha for not having warned him how long the journey really was. Naruto selected a playlist of his favorite music and smiled widely as it rang through the vehicle. 

The playlist began to loop just as the city of Suna came into view, so the blond turned the music off and looked at the skyline. “Not really my kind of town,” he said to himself. “But it’s still pretty.” When he crossed the city boundaries, he pulled off into a parking lot and messaged Sasuke, asking where they should meet. A few minutes later, his phone lit up with the address of a coffee shop and Naruto pulled back out of the lot and hit the road. 

When he recognized the name of the coffee shop on the street, he found a place to park, and stepped onto the streets of Suna. He grinned at the shop, jogging across the street to enter the cafe. As he pulled open the door, he locked eyes with a man with black hair and eyes to match. 

“Naruto Uzumaki, I presume?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm trying to work out what kind of uploading schedule I'll be on, but I just felt like posting this! Hope you all enjoy! xx

Sasuke arrived at the cafe early, eager to avoid his father’s wrath and to get caffeine in his body as soon as possible. He was on his second cup when the bell above the door jingled to announce the presence of a man with messy blond hair and a bright orange shirt. The dark haired man recognized him from his profile that he had found the listing for the apartment on. Their eyes met, and Sasuke thought Naruto might have the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

“Naruto Uzumaki, I presume?” Sasuke asked, rising from his chair. The blond boy gave him a crooked grin and reached out with his fist, offering a fist bump.

“You must be Sasuke,” he greeted. Sasuke hesitantly returned the greeting, and Naruto laughed. “Nice to meet ya. I’m Naruto Uzumaki, and I need another cup of coffee, you know?” He turned toward the counter to order himself some sugary drink. 

Sasuke studied the man as he cheerfully greeted the barista, that same grin plastered on his face. _He seems… nice. Happy._ Sasuke wondered if someone as content and boisterous as Naruto could handle living with someone as messed up as he was. He concluded that it didn’t really matter, though he decided to play nice for this meeting at least. 

Naruto returned to Sasuke’s table with a mug in his hand, ripping the Uchiha from his daze of thoughts. “So, are you going to Konoha next year?” he asked with a smile. 

“Yes. I’ll be starting as a freshman.”  
  
“You didn’t want to stay in the dorms?” Naruto questioned.

“Too expensive. And I like my privacy,” Sasuke answered succinctly.

“Oh. So when did ya want to move in?” Sasuke blinked at the question. Did this mean Naruto was accepting him as a roommate?

“Um. As soon as possible, I guess.”

“Cool. Rent is five hundred a month, you get your own room. We share a bathroom--”

“Wait, that’s it?” Sasuke interrupted.

Naruto grinned. “I don’t see why not. I’m desperate, and you seem sane enough. You got a way to get your stuff out there?”

“Uh… no, I don’t. I was actually going to ask you about that--”

“Want me to drive you?” Naruto offered earnestly. Sasuke was a little shocked at how forward the man was. How easily he trusted Sasuke. The dark haired man swallowed an insult he felt rising in his throat. 

“Don’t you think this is a little fast?” Sasuke asked.

The blond scratched the back of his neck, that stupid grin still on his face. “Yeah, probably. I’m a pretty good judge of character though. You want to get to know each other before you decide anything, I guess. That makes sense.” He blushed. “Sorry.” Sasuke waved off the apology.

“Uh, yeah. So what are you majoring in? You’re a student right?”

“Culinary!” Naruto’s eyes lit up. “I’ve loved to cook ever since Granny Tsunade taught me when I was a kid. I work part time as a line cook at a local bar. Makes decent money, and I like it. But I really want to be head chef of my own restaurant. I’ve got a name picked out and everything!”

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the childish rambling the blond had fallen into. “And what is this name?” he asked, playing along. 

“Hokage! It means ‘Fire Shadow.’ I read it in a manga once and haven’t--” Naruto cut himself off, another blush gracing his cheeks. “Sorry. Rambling. I do that sometimes. What about you?”

“I’ll be majoring in Literature. I’ve always enjoyed reading. Books And writing too, I suppose.” Sasuke repeated his practiced answer, doing his best to hold back from visibly cringing at the blond’s taste in literature. 

“Oh sick. Konoha has an awesome Lit department.” Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, surprised that Naruto would know anything about the Literature department, considering his major. 

“So since we may be living together, tell me about yourself,” the black-haired man ordered. 

“Sure,” Naruto exclaimed. “Well, like I told you, I love to cook. I also like anime and ramen. I go to a lot of parties, but I don’t host much, so you don’t have to worry about that. The place is too small to fit more than ten people, so there’s no point. My best friends are Gaara and Shikamaru. Shika is super smart but he’s really lazy, so we procrastinate together. Gaara is really mysterious when you first meet him, but the dude’s a softie when you get to know him. Shika was my roommate last year, but he moved in with his girlfriend, Temari. She’s Gaara’s sister actually which is kind of weird but it’s cool, I guess. She can be really scary sometimes, but Shikamaru loves her. Gaara lives with his brother Kankuro now, but we lived together during our freshman year in the dorm. Kiba and Hinata and Shino. . .” Naruto continued to ramble on about all of his friends, and Sasuke chose this moment to come to a decision.

 _This guy… he’s such a loser. He’s bound to annoy the hell out of me, but I guess I don’t have much choice when it comes to roommates. It’s him or father. At least he seems harmless. And I have to find Itachi._

“...and Sakura is so pretty, you know--”

“Okay.”

“Huh?” Naruto looked at him, confused. Sasuke raised a dark eyebrow, once again holding back an insult.

“I’ll move in with you.”

A grin split across Naruto’s face, and he pumped his fist into the air. “YES!” The other patrons of the cafe stared at the blond as he returned excitedly to his seat to continue working out the details of the move with his new roommate. 

* * *

The summer heat bore into Sasuke’s bedroom as he packed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he taped the box of his things closed. He only had a few things that he could take from his father’s house. A box of clothes, a few sentimental pictures and items. He never had much, and he wasn’t sure if it bothered him or not. When Naruto had asked if he needed to rent a truck to move his things, Sasuke had said no without hesitation. As he looked down at the three boxes at his feet, he knew he had made the right decision. His phone chimed to let him know that Naruto would be around to collect him tomorrow at noon. Sasuke took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come. 

He walked out to the living room, where he found his father nursing a beer. 

“Whaddayou want,” the man grumbled at the sight of his youngest son. The boy took another deep breath and said it. 

“I’m moving out tomorrow.” 

Fugaku’s eyes snapped up to Sasuke’s to find the young man’s quiet determination written on his face. 

“You too, huh? Whatever. Don’t come running back when you need money or some shit,” he stated, sounding almost sober. 

“I don’t plan on it,” Sasuke said confidently. “I won’t be coming back at all.”

Fugaku rose from the couch to face his son. Though he was expecting it, Sasuke still lurched back at the sight of his father’s first swing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Sorry it's been a minute since I posted the last chapter. I've been having some minor health issues, but I'm feeling a bit better today, so I decided to bless you with a chapter! Enjoy!

Sasuke’s whole body ached when he awoke the next morning. His eyes fluttered open and he let out a groan as he pushed himself to a sitting position on the living room floor. His father was nowhere in sight, likely having moved to his bed at some point after Sasuke’s beating. The black-haired boy slowly climbed to his feet and retreated to the bathroom to assess the damage before Naruto arrived.

Looking in the mirror, Sasuke noted that his father had managed to avoid hitting his face. He pulled off his shirt to find several large bruises in the shape of a fist along his torso, and hissed in pain as he prodded at the injuries. It would take a week or two for them to fully heal, but they would hopefully go away for good this time. There were a few cuts on his arms, which he covered with ointment and bandages. 

When he returned to his bedroom to change into something that would hide his injuries, Sasuke decided that the soreness in his body was worth it. This time, the pain meant that it was over. The Uchiha glanced around his empty room. It looked almost exactly as it always had, the boxes in the middle of the wood floor as the only real change. He went over to his dresser, picking up the picture frame that rested there, and gazed at the face of his mother, as kind and gentle as he always remembered. In her arms, she held a young Itachi Uchiha on his fifth birthday. Her belly was swollen, only weeks away from the birth of her second son. Fugaku Uchiha looked at his family lovingly, his eyes not yet jaded with the hate they would come to carry in the future. Sasuke buried his emotions as he placed the photograph in a box. A faint buzzing sound echoed from the bed in the corner, signalling a notification on the phone he had left there the night before. As he picked up the cell, he found a text from his new roommate.

_ be there in 20! _

Sasuke glanced at the time, finding that the other boy was over an hour early.  _ How rude, _ he thought.  _ What a moron. _ He wouldn’t complain though, because he wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible. Throwing the rest of his meager belongings into a box, the dark-haired boy prepared himself to finally abandon the place where his mother died, and his father’s heart turned to stone. 

* * *

Naruto may have been a little too excited to get his roommate moved in. So he was a little early, what’s the big deal? It was only like  _ two  _ hours. He definitely could have been more early if he tried. Deciding he probably shouldn’t be  _ that _ early, the blond swung by the coffee shop that he had first met Sasuke at. After receiving the drinks, he texted the other man that he would be arriving soon, and headed back on his way. 

Twenty minutes later, Naruto’s beat-up car pulled in front of a house. It looked as though it used to be a nice home, but had fallen into despair over the years. Through a second story window, he saw a silhouette that looked a lot like Sasuke. He climbed out of the driver’s seat, and leaned in the car window to honk the horn. He grinned up at the silhouette as it neared the window, revealing a pair of familiar, unamused eyes. Sasuke turned away from the window and appeared moments later in the entryway of the house, sporting a long-sleeved black shirt, and carrying a large box. Naruto jogged over to grab the box from his new roommate. 

“Hey roomie,” the blond said, trading the box for the coffee he had bought for Sasuke. The Uchiha nodded in thanks, his face unmoved as he turned back to the door to retrieve another box. Naruto tossed the cardboard container into the back seat of his car and opened the trunk, thanking the gods that he had remembered to remove his trash from his vehicle. They finished packing the car in no time at all, so Naruto asked the question that had been on his mind since he arrived. 

“Don’t you want to say goodbye to your parents? Where are they anyway?” 

A pair of black eyes turned to glare at him. “Do  _ not  _ talk about my parents.” Sasuke climbed into the car without another word, leaving Naruto confused. He furrowed his brow and moved to follow the other boy when he felt another set of eyes on him. The blond looked up to find an older man glaring from the door of the house. They locked eyes, and Naruto noticed that he shared the same eyes as the boy sitting in the car. Except these eyes had a glare that trumped even Sasuke’s.  _ That must be his father, _ the blond thought.

Shaking off the man’s crushing gaze, Naruto followed Sasuke’s lead and climbed into the driver’s seat. He debated whether to tell Sasuke about the man, but decided against it. The younger boy seemed to be actively avoiding looking at the house, so Naruto arranged his face into a wide grin as he started the car. 

“All right,” he exclaimed happily. “Let’s go!” 

Sasuke didn’t say a word the whole ride to their new apartment, and Naruto couldn’t help but worry if this was what living with the boy would be like. He had done his best to fill the silence of the ride, one of his greatest talents, but even he struggled with so little feedback. He idly wondered between tangents if Sasuke was even listening. As they pulled up to the apartment three hours later, Naruto heaved a tired sigh. The sun was beginning to sink low in the sky, so the blond man needed a strong drink. He slumped out of the vehicle and grabbed a box out of the back, unsurprised to see Sasuke doing the same. 

“Welcome home,” Naruto said as he unlocked the door to their apartment. He carried the box to Sasuke’s new room, unceremoniously dropping it on the bed. “Shikamaru left the bed, so it’s all yours.” He glanced at his phone to find a notification from the genius himself. “Let’s get your stuff inside.” Sasuke nodded, his face as unchanged as it had been since they met. They finished hauling the last boxes into the room, and Naruto sat on the bed with a sigh. “I’m going to a party tonight. You can join if you want,” he offered. 

Sasuke waved him off, his face unchanged. 

“Nah. I’ll unpack here.” They heard a knock on the door as the blond nodded. They walked out to the living room/kitchen area, and Sasuke sat down on the well-worn couch. The knock sounded again, to which Naruto rolled his eyes. 

“Comin’!” He pulled open the door to find a man with a high, dark ponytail. “Hey Shikamaru. I’ve gotta change quick.” The ponytailed man nodded at his friend, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the other man sitting on the couch. “That’s Sasuke, he’s your replacement,” called Naruto, walking into his room and closing the door behind him.

“Shikamaru Nara,” he said, moving to shake the other guy’s hand. 

“Sasuke Uchiha.” 

“We’re going to a friend’s party. It’ll probably be a drag, but you can come if you want,” Shikamaru said, sounding bored. “You a student?”

“A freshman. And I’m fine here.”

“Hm. Major?”

“Literature.” Shikamaru only answered with a grunt of acknowledgment. Sasuke found himself a little surprised that Naruto was friends with this guy. He seemed more similar to Sasuke than the cheerful blond. The two sat in silence until Naruto returned and slapped his best friend’s shoulder excitedly.

“All right, let’s go Shika! I want to get drunk,” Naruto said with a grin. Shikamaru smirked at the man’s antics. 

“You always want to get drunk,” he said, standing up. Sasuke balked at the statement. “Come on, Temari’s waiting.”

“Whipped,” Naruto smirked. 

“Shut it, Uzumaki.” The two walked out the door, shouting their goodbyes to Sasuke as it slammed behind them. 

Sasuke had to wonder what he had gotten himself into. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! Please feel free to comment, every single one makes my day!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are probably gonna hate me... sorry :))

_ It was a flurry of fast fists and powerful kicks. The occasional broken liquor bottle, smashed in rage. Sasuke cowered in the corner, his arms wrapped around the top of his head to protect himself from the scene.  _

_ “Stop.” A deep voice rang throughout the room, and silence followed. Sixteen year old Itachi Uchiha stared at their father, his voice calm. “You are scaring Sasuke. Go to bed, little brother.” Sasuke obeyed, forcing his eleven year old body off the ground, and locking himself in his bedroom. His father’s rage had been directed only at furniture, but it terrified young Sasuke.  _

_ His anguished cries echoed off the empty walls as he tried to remember his mother’s face. It had only been a month since her funeral, and everything had changed.  _

Sasuke woke from his dream with a shudder. The first time his father had gone crazy. The first time Itachi saved him. The first time he forgot what his own mother looked like. He held his head in his hands and took a deep breath. He hadn’t slept without a nightmare since he was ten years old. At eighteen, Sasuke was exhausted.

* * *

Naruto slammed the can on the table seconds before his friend, and the host of this party, Kiba. He laughed loudly as the other boy glared.

“You cheated!”

“Yeah right,” Naruto defended with a grin. “How do you cheat at drinkin’ a beer?” 

“Hinata, Sakura, tell him he cheated!” Kiba growled as the two girls laughed. 

“You’re just a sore loser, Kiba,” Sakura giggled. Hinata nodded with a smile. “Naruto won and you know it!” 

“Dammit! Get another round! I’m gonna beat you this time!” Naruto laughed drunkenly, and stumbled to the cooler to grab them two more beers. He greeted a cheerful man named Lee, who sported a bowl cut and a dark green shirt as he walked by. The blond pulled Shikamaru’s ponytail when he found him sitting on the cooler with a pretty blond on his lap.

“Outta the way, jerk. Hey Temari.”

“Hi Naruto,” the girl greeted as she climbed off Shikamaru’s lap. The other man groaned, rubbing the base of his ponytail. 

“You idiot, that hurt!” 

“Don’t sit on the beer and we won’t have this problem,” Naruto cheered, knocking his friend out of the way and opening the cooler. “Go find a room or something. I’m sure Kiba won’t mind.” He winked and walked away with beer in hand, smirking as he heard Shikamaru tell Temari that the party was a drag. 

On the way back, he ran right into Sakura. 

“Oh, sorry Naruto,” she said, blushing. Naruto thought she smelled like vodka and cherry blossoms. God, she was gorgeous. He smiled at her cheerfully, pink gracing his own cheeks as he moved to hand Kiba his beer. 

“I’m gonna win,” Kiba threatened, baring his teeth. 

“Sure you are,” Naruto said, opening the can.

“Naruto wins again!” Sakura cheered moments later, raising the blond’s hand in the air. He grinned out at his friends who shouted their praise for his drinking prowess. Kiba continued glaring at the ground, wobbling back and forth on his feet. After five or six rounds (who was keeping track anyway?), Naruto was starting to feel pretty out of it. He looked down at the pink-haired girl who he’d had a crush on since the day they met last year. Sakura was looking particularly pretty tonight, and Naruto was brimming with liquid courage. Surrounded by their friends and the sound of their cheers, he leaned down and kissed her. 

Her eyes widened for a moment, surprised by Naruto’s boldness. After a moment, she sank into the kiss, her hands lifting to wrap around his neck. Their friends' cheers gained momentum, and Naruto felt several slaps on the back as he licked into Sakura’s mouth. As the party returned to its normal activities, Sakura and Naruto wandered into a dark hallway to continue their fun.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto woke up and felt a presence beside him. Looking around, he realized he was in Kiba’s bedroom. He groaned as his hangover kicked in, a headache throbbing in the back of his skull. Glancing at the presence he had felt in the bed next to him, he had expected to find Kiba, but instead found a head of pink hair. Naruto felt his blue eyes widen in shock. 

“Sakura?” 

She stirred at the sound of her name, her green eyes fluttering to meet blue. “Naruto? What’s the matter?”

“What happened last night? Did we…?” He took note of his own shirtlessness, and was surprised to find he had no pants on.

“You don’t remember?” She blushed, and gave him a nervous look as she sat up. “Um, we kind of made out. A--and I… I gave you a--a h-hand-- Don’t make me say it!” Her face grew even more red, reminding Naruto of a tomato.

Naruto’s tan face turned bright red to match. “Oh. Uh. Cool. Thanks?” She couldn’t look him in the eye, and stared down at her lap. 

“Oh… Is that all you have to say?” she asked quietly. Naruto realized that this was the opportunity he had been waiting for for months. 

“Uh… Sakura?” He swallowed his embarrassment as he moved closer to her. 

“Yes Naruto?” 

“Go out with me,” he demanded. 

If Sakura’s face could have gotten any brighter red, it would have. She gathered her courage and nodded with a smile. 

They both leaned in slowly, and their lips met once again. But this time, Naruto would remember. The two kissed heatedly until the door slammed open, revealing an irritated Kiba. 

“Go home. No fucking in my bed,” he growled. Naruto grinned at his friend, pulling away from Sakura, leaving a hand around her thin shoulders. He located his boxers and pants beside the bed, pulling them on under the cover of the blanket. 

“No promises,” the blond joked, standing up from the bed to find his shirt. Sakura blushed again as Kiba looked at her, hiding her face under the blanket. Naruto located his orange tee, pulling it on and patting his brown-haired friend on the shoulder. “I’ve gotta get to work soon anyway. See you later, Sakura. Text me.” 

He walked off with a smile and a wink. _ Nothing like a pretty girl to get rid of a hangover,  _ he thought to himself.  _ And Sakura is the prettiest girl of them all.  _ He left the house with a satisfied sigh and climbed into his car, setting off for his apartment.

* * *

Sasuke sat at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee and a mystery novel. He had been up since his nightmare had woken him early in the morning, unable to fall asleep. It was nearly noon now, and Naruto had yet to appear. The black-haired man had been enjoying the silence brought by Naruto’s absence, and decided to take advantage of it to explore the apartment. 

The place was small, but just big enough for two. The kitchen and living room shared a space, making it difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. The bathroom was nestled at the back of the apartment, equidistant from each of the boys’ rooms. Sasuke had even dared to step into Naruto’s room, finding it abandoned. He assumed the other boy had fallen asleep at his party, and took the opportunity to find out more about his new roommate. 

In the bedroom, there was a shelf with a few books and a lot of DVDs. Scanning the movies, he found that they had several common interests, though the blond man had a love for anime that Sasuke could never agree with. When his eyes found the small stack of books, he was surprised to find all of those written by his favorite writer. They looked as though they had never been opened, and Sasuke couldn’t help but wonder why Naruto had them if he didn’t plan to read them. The few other books seemed to be in the same condition, though they appeared to be raunchy romance novels. Sasuke cringed at the titles and turned to look around the rest of the room. On the floor next to the bed, he found a few empty beer cans. He had to shake off dark memories of his father at the sight.

On top of Naruto’s dresser, there was a glass container that was typically used to house small animals. Sasuke approached the cage, curious if his roommate had a pet. As he looked inside, he found two small toads resting on a log. He made a face, disgusted.  _ Why would he ever want those things as pets?  _

“That’s Gamakichi and Gamatatsu.” Sasuke startled at the sound of Naruto’s voice from the doorway. The blond moved into the room, reaching around Sasuke to feed the toads. The Uchiha shuddered at the proximity of the other man.

“I shouldn’t have come in here,” Sasuke said, moving to leave. 

“Nah, I get it. I do have to get ready for work though,” Naruto said with a grin, implying that Sasuke should leave. The younger boy nodded and returned to his coffee, allowing the other man to prepare for work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Your comments have been wonderful lately, and I love talking to you guys! Thank you so much! Please keep it up, and thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to thank you all for being so wonderful and supportive <3 enjoy!

Naruto returned from his long day of work, smelling of garlic and various sauces. As soon as he entered the apartment, he called out a greeting to Sasuke, who was reading on the couch, then turned to the fridge to grab a beer. He sat on the couch, just a few feet from the other man, and put his feet on the coffee table. Sasuke didn’t react to the blond, just continued reading his book as Naruto chugged his drink. The Uzumaki sighed and relaxed into the plush of the cushions, then glanced at the Uchiha. 

“Do you ever talk?” he asked suddenly. Sasuke looked up from his novel.

“No.” 

“Liar.” Naruto grinned. “You want a beer or something? We can get to know each other better!”

“No.” 

“Aww, come on! We’re gonna be living together for a while. Might as well know each other a little bit!” 

Sasuke sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to be getting out of this. He closed his book and turned to the other boy.

“Fine. But I don’t drink.” 

Naruto’s smile lit up the entire apartment. “No problems there! Water it is!” He ran to the kitchen and returned with a giant glass of water for Sasuke and a second beer for himself. He sat down on the floor across from Sasuke, cracking open the new can. 

“What do you want to know?” Sasuke asked. 

“Hmm… Oh I know! Do you have a girlfriend?” 

“No.”

“Hmm… Okay… A boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Hmm…” The man furrowed his brow and took a long sip of his drink. “Do you have a favorite color?”

“No.” 

“Are you actually going to tell me anything about yourself?” Naruto asked, exasperated. 

“I already am,” Sasuke replied, delicately sipping the water the blond had given him. 

“Well, it doesn’t feel like it! Do you have a job?”

“Not yet. I’m hoping to get one soon.”

“Where do you want to work?” The blond questioned, encouraged by the response.

“There’s a bookstore near campus that's hiring.”

“So you’re a real book nerd, huh? I know a few of those types. Though I’m not sure you’d be interested in what they usually like to read,” Naruto said, cringing at the thought. Sasuke didn’t answer, so Naruto continued asking questions. By the end of their little Q & A, Naruto still knew very little about the black-haired boy.

“I’m going to bed,” Sasuke said when Naruto’s questioning finally came to a frustrated end. He had put up with enough of the blond’s pestering for one night. The older boy sighed and cracked open another beer, alone once again.

* * *

The month he had lived with Naruto had been… fine. The blond seemed to be constantly busy, so Sasuke often had the apartment to himself. His roommate only came home late in the night, or sometimes not at all. Sasuke had gotten a job at the bookstore, and occasionally found evidence that the blond had been around when he was at work. Naruto also came home from work every Saturday night just to change before one of his friends arrived to drag him away to some gathering. After he denied a dozen invitations, Naruto had given up on asking Sasuke to come along to his friends’ parties.

The month ended, and classes were about to begin for the fall semester. As much as he hated to admit it, Sasuke was nervous. 

Sasuke cleared his face of emotion as he walked into his Monday morning class. He found a seat near the back of the lecture hall, taking out a notebook to wait for class to begin. Students filed in slowly, and several girls whispered excitedly to each other and took seats near Sasuke. He rolled his eyes at their predictable behavior, but eventually an older man wandered in, ten minutes after the course was scheduled to begin. The man had silver hair, and wore a black mask over his mouth and nose. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the professor.  _ What kind of unprofessional jerk is late on the first day?  _

“Morning class,” the teacher greeted. “My name is Kakashi Hatake, and I’ll be your professor for this class. You can just call me Kakashi. I hope you all like Shakespeare, because you’ll be reading a lot of him in this department. If you don’t like him, I suggest re-thinking your choice of major.” His eyes squinted to show he was smiling through the mask. Sasuke scoffed at the implication. Who didn’t like Shakespeare? “Anyway, I’ll just be going over the syllabus today, so just sit back and listen. Or don’t. I get paid either way.” 

By the time the class ended, Sasuke had decided Kakashi was going to be his favorite professor.

* * *

The start of the school year seemed to somehow make Naruto even busier. The few times Sasuke had caught him on the couch, he was surrounded by papers, looking completely exhausted with his old laptop in his lap. This was one of those times. 

“Hey Sasuke,” the blond said, barely glancing up from his work. 

“Hey.” 

“You should study with me. I could use the motivation,” Naruto said, looking up with a tired grin. Sasuke had spent his high school years studying in the library alone, avoiding the stupid girls that sat beside him and leaned in too close for comfort, begging him to help them with their homework. This typically sent Sasuke running for the hills, but for the first time in his life, he felt inclined to accept the offer. 

“Uh. Sure, I guess.” Naruto’s grin widened, and he gestured to the seat to his left. 

“What are you working on?” Sasuke asked, surprising even himself.

“I’m supposed to find mistakes in these recipes. Stuff that would mess with the flavor, you know?” He took a sip of his beer as he stared blankly at the papers. 

_ I guess even culinary majors have busywork, _ Sasuke thought, bemused. He sat down on the opposite side of the sofa, pulling out his homework for Kakashi’s class. The two worked in comfortable silence for a few hours, and when Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, he found that the blond had fallen asleep on top of his papers. The dark-haired boy felt a strange sensation in his stomach as he gazed upon the older man, which he pushed down into the depths of his gut. 

He packed his homework back into his bag, and moved to retreat to his bedroom. But he hesitated, and turned back to Naruto. 

Sasuke went to sleep confused.

* * *

Naruto woke on the couch, where he had been waking more often lately than he cared to admit. This semester was going to be rough. He rubbed away the after-images of his nightmare, and was surprised to find a couple changes from his regular routine. His homework was stacked neatly on the coffee table instead of crumpled underneath him, and he was covered by a blanket. The blond found himself smiling at the kindness of his typically surly roommate. Sasuke didn’t like to talk much, but actions speak louder than words. Naruto couldn’t deny that he was starting to care for the dark-haired man and his quiet nature. His phone buzzed, interrupting his train of thought to announce a text from Sakura. 

_ Hey baby <3 happy one month!!!  _

Naruto smiled lightly, remembering his plans for the day.

_ U too:) _

Naruto had just sent the message when Sasuke emerged from his room, looking surprised to find him there. His black hair was disheveled, and the blond caught himself thinking that he looked kind of…  _ cute.  _ He had to suppress a blush.

“Morning, Sasuke.”

“Good morning,” Sasuke replied, his face angled toward the ground. Naruto smiled at the younger boy. 

“You like waffles?” Sasuke lifted his head to meet the other man’s gaze. It had been a long time since anyone had made him breakfast. He nodded, smothering a hint of a smile as he followed Naruto to the kitchen. 

“I don’t have a whole lot of time,” Naruto said, flipping over the waffle maker. “I’m supposed to meet my girlfriend at noon.” Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, ignoring the tight feeling in his chest as he leaned against the opposite counter.

“You have a girlfriend?” the boy asked, his voice monotone.

Naruto grinned in response. 

“Yup. One month today! Her name’s Sakura. We’re going to an amusement park later, but I figured since you were  _ so _ nice to me last night…” He trailed off as his phone buzzed. “Sorry, I’ve gotta take this.” Naruto placed his phone against his ear as he answered the call. 

“Hey old man. How’s Kirigakure?” Sasuke watched as Naruto listened to whoever the call was from. “Classes are fine so far. You coming home any time soon?” Naruto’s brow furrowed at the answer, disappointment obvious on his face. “Alright. Be good, you old pervert.” The insult was said with affection, and Naruto smiled as he hung up. 

“Sorry,” he said to his roommate. Sasuke didn’t reply. The two ate their waffles in silence. Naruto seemed to be bothered by something, but the other boy didn’t ask. When Naruto left a while later, neither man said a word.

* * *

Sasuke’s job had some good things and some bad things. The best thing was being surrounded by books, and that he had been able to find new things to read during the last few weeks of summer. He had even discovered that his favorite author had recently released a new novel. 

The worst thing was Karin. 

The red-headed girl was absolutely obsessed with Sasuke, and because they worked together, he just couldn’t get away. The very day Sasuke interviewed for his position at the local bookstore, Karin had latched onto him, and refused to let go until he finally yanked her off. It was now a daily occurrence. 

“Saaaasukeeee, where aaaare youuu?” Sasuke cringed and hid behind a shelf of textbooks. He had been silently pondering whether or not she could smell fear when she popped up beside him.

“Leave me alone, Karin.”

“Awww, you know you love me Saucey!” Sasuke’s lip curled in disgust at the nickname, and he ripped his arm away from the girl. Suddenly, a familiar laugh echoed through the textbook aisle. The dark-haired man’s eyes widened, stepping away from the woman.

“Saucey?” Naruto’s booming laughter caused Sasuke’s eye to twitch in rage. 

“What are  _ you  _ doing here, Naruto?” Karin asked, annoyed by the interruption. Sasuke’s eyebrow raised, curious how the woman knew his boisterous roommate. 

“Came to get a book of course,” the blond chuckled. “I may have to start using that nickname on you,  _ Saucey.” _

“Leave Sasuke alone, Naruto! That nickname is for me only. Isn’t that right Saucey?” 

Sasuke could have sworn he  _ growled _ at the girl. Naruto walked closer, skimming the books for a specific title, a wide grin still on his face. 

“How do you even know each other?” The red-head asked, her eyes narrowed.

“ _ Saucey _ here is my--” Naruto’s eyes widened as Sasuke slapped his hand over the blond’s mouth. 

“Friend of a friend,” Sasuke said, glaring at both of them. Karin eyed them suspiciously until, luckily, their boss called for her help at the front of the store. Sasuke removed his hand slowly.

“What was that about?” Naruto asked, his yellow brows drawn together. 

“She’s insane. I don’t want her knowing anything about me,” the raven-haired man whispered. He froze, realizing how close he was to Naruto. He pulled back quickly.

“Fair enough,” the older boy said, eyeing the younger man. He reached for a book. “She tends to get a little nutso about hot guys.”

“How do you know her?” the Uchiha found himself asking. 

“Huh? Oh, Karin’s my cousin. I never saw much of her though, so we don’t talk much.” 

Privately, Sasuke thought that that made sense. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope to hear what you all think :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well! I had some extra inspiration and really wanted to post a chapter! Thank you all <3 Enjoy!

Naruto groaned at the sound of his alarm, frustrated. He wanted to scream for forgetting to turn off the ringer before going to bed last night. In some twist of fate, he had been having a rare good dream. His mother and father’s faces were burned into his mind, the distant memory of their kind smiles the last thing Naruto had left. As the dream faded, he wiped a tear from his cheek and forced his face into his usual bright grin.

It was Saturday, and for once, he didn’t have to work. His boss had finally had enough of the dark bags that had formed under Naruto’s eyes, and claimed that she didn’t need him to make it through the afternoon. The blond man seriously doubted this, but had given in at the idea of a day off after weeks of endless work. 

As he sat up in bed, Naruto found himself wondering what his raven-haired roommate was doing today, and if he could finally convince him to leave the cave that was his bedroom. 

He walked into the kitchen, scolding himself internally.  _ What about Sakura? _ he asked himself.

For some reason, the thought of spending time with his pink-haired girlfriend made his day off seem like a lot of work. The smell of coffee filled the room, and Naruto came to the conclusion that he was going to relax today, and that seeing Sakura was  _ not  _ relaxing. So, he collapsed on the couch, mug in hand, prepared to do nothing but watch TV until dark.

* * *

Sasuke woke to the rich smell of coffee, which lured him out of his bedroom to find Naruto, asleep on the sofa. There was a mug of coffee on the side table, still steaming to indicate its freshness. Sasuke felt a tug in his chest. The blond must have been completely exhausted. 

He had to admit, seeing his roommate on a Saturday was a surprise in and of itself. Sasuke had gathered that Naruto spent most of his time working and doing schoolwork, and the rest of his limited free time getting drunk with his girlfriend and his other friends. He couldn’t imagine how draining the responsibilities would be. Or why Naruto would choose to spend his free time delirious with intoxication. 

As much as the idea of living with another heavy drinker had bothered him in the beginning, Sasuke simply found himself relieved that Naruto was not an angry drunk. The bruises from his father’s last beating had taken weeks to finally heal, and the black-haired man had recently worn a tee-shirt for the first time in half a decade. He had finally begun to think that he could possibly feel normal again. If only the nightmares would stop. 

Naruto shifted on the couch, ripping Sasuke from his thoughts. The younger boy moved to the kitchen to fetch himself a cup of the coffee Naruto had prepared, then returned to the living room. He stood beside the sofa, and took a moment to take in Naruto’s appearance. The man had strong looking, tan hands, and three thin scars on either cheek. Under his eyes were dark circles, contrasting with the bright yellow of his spiky hair. His orange sweatshirt was hideous, but Sasuke caught himself thinking that it somehow suited him. He almost spilled his coffee when he raised his gaze to meet ocean blue eyes. 

“You fell asleep on the couch,” he said. Naruto raised a tired eyebrow.

“Sure did. And you were staring at me, since we’re stating the obvious.” The blond grinned good-naturedly. Sasuke said nothing. 

“I’ve got the day off today,” he continued. “You free for a lazy day?”

* * *

Somehow, Sasuke had been pulled into a movie marathon with his often-absent roommate. The two men sat on opposite sides of the couch, Naruto’s arm slung casually across the back of the middle section. Sasuke, on the other hand, sat with his hands in his lap, eyes following the action on the screen as the other man loudly discussed the plot of the film. 

“Oh, come on! I know people in these movies are supposed to be kinda stupid, but she really takes the cake,” the blond said, rolling his eyes as the main character panicked and dropped her cell phone off a cliff. “Seriously?”

Sasuke didn’t answer, but silently agreed with Naruto. Suddenly, a muffled buzzing interrupted the sounds of the movie, and Naruto dug his phone out of a crack in the sofa. He smiled at the screen and walked into his room without a word, pressing the device to his ear. Sasuke paused the film and tried to suppress the urge to listen. 

“Hey Granny Tsunade… Mhmm. Everything’s okay, I guess. Classes are good. You know I learned from the best!” Sasuke heard a grin in the other boy’s voice. “Don’t worry, Shizune finally got sick of seeing me, so she made me take today off… Uhh, a month maybe?” The sound of muffled shouting echoed into the living room. Whoever this Tsunade was, she had a set of pipes on her. Sasuke vaguely recalled that this was the woman that taught Naruto to cook. “Sorry,” he heard the blond mumble. “I’ll try… I’m okay, I swear. I’ll call you when I get time, promise… The old man? No… Thanks, Grandma Tsunade.” 

Moments later, Naruto emerged, scratching the back of his head. “Oh, sorry. You didn’t have to pause it for me.”

“I paused it,” Sasuke started, his face neutral, “because I couldn’t hear over your grandmother’s shouting.” 

Naruto barked out a loud laugh. “Who knew, you actually have a sense of humor. The old lady’s not actually my grandma,” he chuckled. “She just hates it when I call her that.” 

_ How typical, _ Sasuke thought.  _ If I have to hear him call me “Saucey” one more time, I swear I’ll-- _

“Quit glaring at me, you bastard,” Naruto grinned. Sasuke’s face remained unchanged as he resumed the movie. 

“Idiot.”

* * *

“I have some exciting news,” Kakashi said as the class settled into their seats. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. He and his professor seemed to have similar ideas of what qualified as exciting, so the raven-haired boy was intrigued. “We will be having a guest speaker a week from Friday. He’s a good friend of mine, and an excellent author. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it would be a grave mistake to miss him. Now, let’s begin, shall we?” 

Sasuke was almost moved to a grin at the news that there would be an author speaking to his class, though his face remained unchanged. He idly wondered who the man would be. What did he write? Had Sasuke heard of him? He made a point of memorizing the names and faces of his favorite authors, in case he ever got the chance to ask them his burning questions. So far, he only had one on his list. Could this guest speaker possibly be the writer of his favorite books? The same books that Naruto had sitting upon his shelf, untouched?

In the end, he decided not to get his hopes up. 

“Uchiha,” Kakashi called through the swarms of students surging for the door. Sasuke looked at his professor, surprised.

“Professor Hatake?”

“That essay you turned in last week was excellent,” the silver-haired man began. “I just wanted to let you know. You remind me a lot of Itachi.” Sasuke froze. “Your work is as good as his was when he was your age.”

“You know my brother?” Sasuke asked frantically, breaking out of his daze. Kakashi’s eyebrows shot up.

“He was an excellent student. Though I haven’t seen him since he graduated. When was that… two years ago now?”

“Do you know where he is?” Sasuke demanded, thoughts flying wildly through his head. He could finally confront his brother. He could demand answers. 

“I’m afraid not,” the professor said, sounding concerned. He scratched the side of his head. “Perhaps you could ask some of the staff in the Psychology department. He was only in my class as an elective. They would likely know him better there. Is there something wrong, Uchiha?”

Sasuke nearly sprinted out of the lecture hall, only managing to shake his head as he left. He found the nearest bathroom, and retched into a toilet. The thought of seeing his brother again was too much to bear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As usual, I would love to hear your thoughts! Any and all comments are welcome :) See you next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one physically hurt me to write, soooo fair warning :) enjoy!

Naruto was drunk. 

While it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, it was rare for him to find himself this drunk before noon. On a Monday. 

Why was he drunk? Well, he had been enjoying his weekend at Sakura’s apartment. They were kissing on her bed, and Naruto was about to take his shirt off until she stopped him abruptly. Her green eyes reflected… guilt? Naruto’s chest tightened as he took in the look on her face. They had been together for two months now, and at least from the blond man’s perspective, it had been going fairly well.

“Naruto,” she breathed. “I-I’m sorry, Naruto. I-I can’t do this anymore.” 

The blond sat up, panic beginning to tie a knot in his stomach. “What’s wrong, Sakura? Did I do something?” His eyes furrowed, trying to think if he could have done something recently to make her upset. 

The pink-haired girl choked back a sob. “N-No… I’m so sorry, Naruto! I- I d-did something I sh-shouldn’t have…” 

As Naruto stormed out of the apartment building and locked himself in his beat-up car twenty minutes later, he choked down sobs and tears.  _ Sakura cheated on me… with Sasori? Why am I not enough? What did I do wrong? Why does everyone always leave? _ He ripped himself away from his darkest thoughts and sped to the liquor store. 

So, yes. Naruto was drunk. On a Monday. Before noon. 

He hadn’t been sober enough to take a shower since he left Sakura’s apartment Saturday night. The smell wafting from his body was almost enough to pierce through his drunken haze. He had called Shizune, begging off work for a few days, but he was running out of time. Tomorrow afternoon, he would have to be clean, sober, and on his way to the restaurant. 

Classes were the last place he wanted to be right now, so he was in his bedroom. He’d only gone to the kitchen a few times, making sure he heard Sasuke leave before showing himself. Something about the dark-haired man made Naruto want to keep this side of him far away from his dark, intelligent eyes. 

He heard a door slam, knowing it must have been Sasuke leaving for his classes. So Naruto stumbled out to get some breakfast. He didn’t trust himself to cook anything through the tears in his eyes, or with the room spinning the way it was, so he settled for cereal. He made a bit of mess as he poured it in a bowl, and more of a mess when he dumped half a jug of milk on the counter. 

Sinking to the floor with the slippery bowl clutched in his hands, Naruto sobbed through bites of the bland granola. He wasn’t even sure what he was crying about at this point. His relationship with Sakura had been good, but she hadn’t been who he’d always thought she was. In all honesty, he had already been considering whether it was worth it to keep dating her, or if it was better to return to being friends. His crush had begun to fade shortly after they started dating, but it was too late for that now. He wasn’t worthy of Sakura anyway. She deserved better, and he wasn’t good enough for anyone. 

Naruto was still distracted by his spiraling thoughts when the door unlocked.

* * *

Sasuke cursed his stupidity for forgetting his textbook at the apartment. He had just been studying for that class  _ last night _ . As he entered the building, he thought back to his conversation the previous week with his professor. Sasuke hadn’t worked up the courage to visit the Psych department yet, and he blamed it on his own cowardice. He climbed the stairs to the room he shared with Naruto, his mind moving to the topic of his roommate. 

He hadn’t seen the blond since last Thursday, though whenever he came home there were traces of his presence. A few times, Sasuke thought he heard noises coming from the other bedroom, but had brushed them off, remembering that Naruto was at his girlfriend’s apartment this weekend.  _ Something about their two month anniversary,  _ Sasuke thought. _ Hn.  _ The train of thought began to fade as he slid his key into the lock, and came to an abrupt end when he opened the door and took in the sight on the other side.

Naruto was sitting on the floor, leaning against the kitchen counter, an empty bowl clutched in his fingers, and his eyes were nearly black, swirling with emotions that Sasuke couldn’t read. The entire countertop was soaked with what looked to be milk, and what had once been Sasuke’s box of cereal was scattered across the floor. 

The pale man approached Naruto slowly, a tight knot in his chest that felt almost like concern. 

“N-Naruto?” The blond didn’t move, staring straight ahead. “Naruto, are you okay?” Sasuke crouched down beside his roommate, who still did not respond. The raven sniffed the air and noted the horribly familiar scent that was drifting from the other man. Liquor. 

He hesitantly reached out a pale hand, prepared to jump back at any moment. When his fingers came in contact with the tanned arm, the blue eyes finally blinked back to the present. The blond head slowly turned to meet Sasuke’s gaze, and horror filled his face.

He scrambled to his feet, stumbling slightly as he regained his balance. When he came back to his senses, Naruto noticed that Sasuke had retreated to the opposite side of the kitchen, a wary look in his dark eyes as he regarded the blond. 

“S-sorry, Sasuke,” he said, ashamed to have scared his friend. Sasuke didn’t move, his guard still up. “I’m sorry. I’m not going to hurt you, promise.” The black-haired man relaxed imperceptibly, but stayed where he was. Naruto looked at the mess his drunken self had made, noting that he was now nearly sober. He must have been lost in thought for longer than he originally believed. Steeling himself against the look in his roommate’s eyes, he moved to grab some towels and began cleaning up the kitchen. 

Sasuke still hadn’t moved, but as Naruto started wiping the lukewarm milk from the counter, he convinced himself to push away from the wall. Naruto was not his father. 

“Go clean yourself up,” Sasuke said, pulling another towel out of a drawer. “I’ll take care of this.” Naruto’s blue eyes were filled with guilt and sorrow, but he didn’t have the energy to argue, so he obediently went to the bathroom to take a shower. 

As he mopped up the remnants of Naruto’s breakdown, Sasuke pondered the scene he had walked in to find. Clearly, something had happened, and the pale boy questioned whether he should demand answers from the blond. He had never been good with dealing with emotions, particularly those of others. However, Sasuke felt a painful tugging in his chest when he thought of his typically cheerful roommate.

When Naruto exited their shared bathroom nearly an hour later, he had morphed his face into a smile. Sasuke glared at the forced grin. The blond’s face fell slightly, but he pushed past it. 

“Sorry ‘bout that, Saucey! Guess I had a bit too much to drink--”

“Moron,” Sasuke interrupted furiously. “I’m not stupid. You don’t have to tell me what happened, but don’t act like I can’t see through your bullshit.” With that said, Sasuke snatched up the wet towels and threw them into the washing machine, washed his hands, and retreated to his bedroom. 

The interaction with Naruto had shaken him to his core. Sasuke’s impression of his roommate had been that he was always content, happy. He seemed to appreciate the smallest things in life, and cared deeply for his friends. But sitting on the floor of their kitchen, those beautiful, blue eyes had burned with years of anguish and sadness. 

Perhaps they had more in common than Sasuke had thought.

* * *

Naruto sighed and collapsed on the couch. He had always been reassured that none of his friends knew how messed up he was. They only knew him as the happy-go-lucky front he put out. As the afterimage of who he used to be. But Sasuke had seen it. The real Naruto. The bits and pieces that remained. 

He decided he needed to see one of the only people that had ever been able to pull him back from the darkness, so he pulled out his phone and sent a text. He rested his head against the couch and closed his eyes, praying silently that the man would drive fast.

* * *

There was a knock on the apartment door an hour later, so loud that Sasuke heard it through the closed door of his bedroom. Assuming Naruto had invited his girlfriend over to take care of him, Sasuke stayed firmly in his desk chair. But the knocking continued. 

The dark-haired man rose from his seat and exited his room, noting his roommate’s unconscious form on the sofa.  _ Idiot.  _ Sasuke’s face softened as Naruto shifted in his sleep.  _ At least he’s getting some rest.  _ He walked over to the apartment door and pulled it open. He made eye contact with the man standing on the other side, and blinked.

“Professor Hatake?” The silver-haired man raised his brow, equally surprised to find one of his students behind the door. “I think you may have the wrong address,” Sasuke said, moving to close the door. 

“I find that unlikely,” Kakashi said, surprising the younger man. Sasuke froze, looking at his teacher in confusion. “Is Naruto here?” 

Sasuke gaped for a moment. What would his favorite professor have to do with Naruto? A presence behind him made Sasuke jump.

“Hey ‘Kashi,” Naruto greeted. His voice was rough, and lacked its usual upbeat rhythm. 

_ Kashi? _ Sasuke looked between the two men, confused. Kakashi pushed past him, folding Naruto into a tight embrace. 

“How are you feeling, Naru?” The older man asked softly. A muffled sound came from where Naruto had buried his head in the professor’s shirt. “Good to see you, Uchiha.” And with that, Kakashi gently guided the younger blond into his own bedroom. 

Sasuke could do nothing but stare at the closed door behind them. He sat in the living room, determined to work on homework until he could ask his teacher what was going on. How did he know Naruto? Hours passed, and neither his roommate nor his professor resurfaced from the bedroom.

When Sasuke woke on the couch the next morning, the silver-haired professor was already gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to thank you all for fifty kudos!! Thanks so much for subscribing, bookmarking, commenting, and reading! I love and appreciate you all very very much! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! This is the last chapter I'm posting before my classes start back up, so bear with me if my schedule gets a little extra wacky over the next few weeks.
> 
> This one's got a little violence in it! Nothing too graphic, but just warning you! Enjoy!

Sasuke realized later that he had never made it to his classes after he returned home to retrieve his textbook, because the unexpected worry for Naruto that tore at his chest had overpowered any thoughts of his studies. This was not a feeling that Sasuke had experienced before, but something about his roommate caused him to experience lots of new things. Like the desire to ask questions. More and more as time went on, Sasuke felt questions pouring out of his mouth for the blond, his restraint loosening the longer they shared a living space. 

However, these unwarranted feelings had also caused Sasuke to miss not one, but two classes. Including his favorite Lit class with Kakash— 

Wait. 

Sasuke pulled up his email, refreshing the inbox to find a short message from his professor. 

_ No class today. I have had a family emergency. See you on Wednesday.  _

_ Best, Kakashi.  _

Family. Kakashi knew Naruto well enough to cancel a class for him, and to call it a family emergency. Sasuke tried to think of a time when anyone had ever done anything similar for him, but came up nearly empty handed. Except…

_ Twelve year-old Sasuke lay in his twin-sized bed, sweat pouring down his face as his body tried to fight off the virus raging through him. He coughed as quietly as he could, trying not to disturb his unconscious father in the next room. Through the pounding in his skull, he heard a light rap at the door.  _

_ “Sasuke,” Itachi called gently, opening the door. “I’ve brought you some soup. Eat it all.” The older teen set the steaming bowl on the table beside his little brother’s bed, then swept out of the room.  _

_ Vaguely, Sasuke recalled that it was a weekday, and he wondered through his feverish daze how he had been allowed to remain at home. Itachi. His weak voice strained to call out through the now closed door. _

_ “Thank you, big brother.”  _

Sasuke shook off the memory. Whatever his brother had been doing out of school that day, it had nothing to do with caring for him. Perhaps Itachi had given him that soup in order to make up for some karmic imbalance. One way or another, it was selfish. He rose from the sofa, his back aching from the lumpy cushions, and went to the kitchen to start making the coffee. 

Naruto and Sasuke had quickly fallen into a routine of making enough coffee for the both of them every morning. Sometimes Naruto was still gone from the night before, unable to drink it fresh, but by the time Sasuke returned from his classes, the pot was always empty. On the days that Naruto left for classes before his roommate, there was always a steaming pot waiting for Sasuke when he woke up. 

Spooning the grounds into the coffee maker, the black-haired man thought over the previous day. His confusion over his Literature professor’s presence had not faded in the slightest, if anything it had only grown with the discovery of his email. And the look in Naruto’s eyes when he— 

“Morning,” a scratchy voice said. Sasuke whipped around to find his blond roommate, a hesitant look on his face.

“Care to tell me why my professor showed up in our apartment last night?” Sasuke asked, disregarding the greeting. The coffee pot began to crackle as it brewed. 

Naruto shifted his weight to one foot and ran a tan hand through his hair. His face gave away his discomfort, but he sighed and spoke.

“Kakashi has known me since I was a little kid. He’s kind of like a big brother to me in a way. Or an uncle maybe.” Sasuke tried to clear his face of any reaction. “When I… get like that… he can sorta… pull me out of it, you know? It doesn’t always work, but it usually helps a little.” 

The black-haired man said nothing, reaching into the cupboard to pull down two mugs. He filled both with the bitter liquid, leaving a bit of room in one.  _ A brother,  _ he thought as he added two spoons of sugar and a splash of milk to the cup.  _ What would it be like to have a family like that? People who would drop everything for you?  _ He stirred silently and handed the mug to his roommate, who gazed at him, his blue eyes wide and sad. 

“Thank you,” Naruto said, accepting the mug of coffee. Somehow, in their two months living together, Sasuke had figured out exactly how he took his coffee. “It’s perfect.” There was a heavy silence between them for a moment, neither one knowing what to say. 

“Um,” the blond started. Sasuke looked at him expectantly. “Thank you… for helping me yesterday. I don’t usually let anyone see me like that if I can help it. I just got lost in thought and—”

“I know what a panic attack looks like, Naruto.” Sasuke took a long drink of his black coffee, eyeing the blond over the rim of the mug. The blond froze, his mouth hanging open as he stared at his dark-eyed roommate. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me. Just try to dump your  _ own  _ cereal all over the counter next time,” he said with a smirk. 

Naruto blinked himself out of his trance, and suddenly his booming laughter filled the kitchen. 

Sasuke had to suppress a smile by taking another long sip of coffee.

* * *

Having realized that their classes were around the same time, Sasuke and Naruto decided to walk to school together. On the way, they spoke very little, but the silence was calm and comforting.

The two roommates parted ways when they reached campus. Despite having lived together for just over two months, they hadn’t spent any time with one another outside of their apartment apart from their first meeting in the cafe, and the drive back from Suna. Naruto found himself a little mournful at their lack of interaction.

While living with Shikamaru, the blond spent most of his time encouraging his roommate to procrastinate with him. Not that it took much convincing. And with Gaara, Naruto had always found himself somehow surrounded by a layer of hovering protection. For some reason, the red-head had always believed that Naruto was delicate and needed to be shielded.

But it was different with Sasuke. When Sasuke was there, Naruto felt… peaceful. He didn’t always feel the need to fill the silence between them like he usually did. And the black-haired man had managed to pull him away from his darkest thoughts with a single touch. What would have happened if they had actually  _ embraced  _ or— 

Naruto dropped the train of thought as soon as it started, making his way toward the building his first class took place in. He instead moved on to a darker topic: his birthday, which was coming up this Saturday. His friends would want him to celebrate, though Naruto had always hated his birthday. He always indulged them, forcing himself to smile and play along as they made him blow out the candles and open their presents. But the whole time, all he could ever think of was the look on his parents’ faces the day they died. 

It was a memory that haunted his dreams nearly every night.

_ It was October tenth, and Naruto turned five years old today. His mother and father, Kushina and Minato Uzumaki took him out to eat at his favorite ramen restaurant.  _

_ The celebration was small, just the three of them, but Naruto didn’t mind. He adored his parents, and they would give him the moon if they could. The man who raised Minato, Jiraiya, was planning on visiting the next day to check on his “knuckleheaded grandson.”  _

_ Young Naruto slurped up the last of his broth, giving his parents a wide, cheerful grin. Kushina barely held in a squeal as she took in her precious son’s adorably satisfied expression. Minato wrapped an arm around her, gazing upon their small, yellow-haired child.  _

_ “Ready to go, birthday boy?” Minato asked. Naruto nodded, the smile still gracing his cheeks.  _

_ The happy family paid their bill and left the restaurant, starting their walk home with each parent holding one of their son’s hands. Naruto swung happily between them, chattering on about how delicious the ramen was, and how nice the owner was, and could they come back again tomorrow?  _

_ When they arrived at their home, Kushina tried her hardest to unlock the door, but it had been acting up lately. Minato let go of Naruto’s hand to assist her, and they pushed the door open minutes later. A relieved sigh fell from both of their mouths, but then they turned around to find that their son was gone.  _

_ Kushina began to panic instantly. “Naruto? Naruto where are you?”  _

_ Minato shushed her, concern and fear growing rapidly in his chest. He took his wife’s hand, and they locked the door once again before moving to walk around the outside of the house.  _

_ “He wouldn’t just run off, you know?” Kushina pressed, terror lacing her voice.  _

_ “No,” Minato responded. “He wouldn’t.”  _

_ They turned to look into an alley about a block from their family home, just as they heard the scream. The two young parents stared in shock for a beat, taking in the sight before them. A large man had Naruto pinned against a wall, a knife in his hand as he traced three thin lines across each of the child’s cheeks. The boy cried out in pain and fear, turning his head away from the man, only to lock his blue eyes on the distant silhouettes of his parents.  _

_ “Naruto,” Minato shouted, leaping into action. Kushina followed close behind, catching the attacker by surprise as they tackled him, desperate to save their young child. Naruto sobbed when he was released, falling to the ground as his parents fought against the man who had abducted him.  _

_ The young boy watched through his blood and tear-stained fingers as the three adults wrestled, but flew to his feet when he heard his mother cry out. He raced to her side as she stumbled to the edge of the battle, hugging her leg tightly as she began to sink to the floor.  _

_ “Naruto,” she said softly, pulling her into her arms. “Naruto, you need to know that your father and I love you very much. But for now you need to run. Run as fast as you can, you hear me?” Her voice was strained, pushing through the pain of the stab wound in her side. She knew that she wouldn’t last long. Naruto looked into her eyes, at all of the sadness and love displayed so plainly there. He choked on a sob, wiping his fat tears with the back of his hand. _

_ “Go, Naruto,” Minato yelled. Naruto looked between his parents. His mother lying on the floor, blood covering the front of her dress. His father, still fighting the large man. And he ran. When he reached the mouth of the alley, he paused once more, turning just in time to see his father and the attacker fall away from one another. They both shouted in pain, and the older blond man looked at his young son, regret in his blue eyes.  _

_ “Goodbye, Naruto.”  _

It had been almost sixteen years, yet Naruto could still remember it like it was yesterday. He had hated his birthday ever since.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked it! Thanks all for reading, please leave a kudos and a comment, let me know what you think! See you next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Made it through my first week of school, and I wanted to throw you this chapter! It's a little shorter than some of my more recent ones, but not by a lot. Enjoy!

Shizune was surprised to see him when Naruto turned up for work later that day. She asked if he was sure he felt up to working, and he could only nod, hoping to use the dinner rush as a distraction from his fragile mental state. He took up his post in front of a cutting board, and fell into memories of the past. 

After his parents’ deaths, Naruto’s godfather, Jiraiya, had come to collect him. Luckily, he’d already been on the way to visit, so the adoption process was quick. They attended the funeral a week later, and then they left Konoha. Jiraiya was a writer, and he spent thirteen long years dragging Naruto across the world for his “research.” He couldn’t say he ever understood what the old pervert was researching, considering most of his books were porn. The other section of books, which Naruto had occasionally assisted with revising, were his mystery novels.

Jiraiya was not quite as proud of these as he was of his porn books, but being such a pervert, this did not surprise Naruto. However, they did well enough to sustain them on their travels, and continued to do so while the old man bounced from city to city. The years went by slowly, and Naruto spent them all trailing behind his adopted father. He was given some homeschooling, but mostly learned through his interactions with those around him. When he was younger, he tried to make new friends in each city they ended up in, but by the time Naruto managed to speak to them, it was already time to move on. After a while, he gave up on making friends all together.

When the two travelers came home to Konoha to visit, Naruto was always dumped off at Jiraiya’s friend Tsunade’s house while the old man snuck off to a brothel or somewhere else equally pervy. It was during these times that Naruto discovered and nurtured his passion. His infrequent yet involved cooking lessons with Tsunade had greatly influenced his young life, and he’d been practicing over the years. Jiraiya always encouraged it, saying, “If you can cook as good as the old lady, you can do anything, kid.” 

When he finally turned eighteen, Naruto decided that he wanted to go to college. After over a decade of travel, he missed his home. While he knew he would not be able to bring himself to visit his family’s old house, being in Konoha helped him to feel closer to his parents. Despite having only been back a few times since his fifth birthday, Naruto’s connection to the city had never faded. 

So, after receiving his GED (after a couple months of extra hard studying and next to no help from the pervy old man), Naruto applied to Konoha University. When he got his acceptance letter to the culinary school, his heart pounded in his chest. It was easily the closest thing to elation he had felt since he was a child. Tsunade had allowed him to stay with her until he moved into the dorms, and they spent the time perfecting some of his basic cooking techniques. 

When his move-in day finally arrived, he dragged his backpack filled with his clothes into his new room, and collapsed on the bed. He hadn’t felt the stability of a home in so long. Sure, Jiraiya had been sort of like a home to him, but having a place of his own to return to had always been something Naruto longed for. He sighed, a feeling close to contentment flowing through him.

“Who are you?” A raspy voice asked. Naruto lifted his head up, throwing on his signature grin. 

“I’m Naruto Uzumaki! Who are you?” The red-headed man glared, his heavily-lined eyes narrowing at the blond man. There was a long silence as this new roommate stared Naruto down, obviously trying to intimidate him. The blond only smiled wider.

“Gaara. Stay out of my stuff.” 

While they got off to a bit of a rough start, eventually Naruto managed to get on Gaara’s very small good side. The blond still considered Gaara one of his very best friends, though they were both too busy to spend much time together. He often wondered if the red-haired boy only put up with him out of pity.

Naruto was proud to say that he made it through the whole shift without shedding a tear. Deep down, he knew that his weakened emotional state was due to more than just Sakura’s escapades. For sixteen years, Naruto had always felt alone, even in a crowded room. His friends were a blessing, but there was only so much they could do to help. Especially when they didn’t know anything about him. Not really, anyway. None of them had ever seen him break down, or shed a tear. They all believed that he was the cheerful young man that he pretended to be.

Now, the only exception was Sasuke. 

Climbing back into his car, Naruto thought about his new roommate. He admitted, the black-haired man intrigued him. Through his years of travel, the blond had gotten quite good at recognizing another tortured soul when he saw one. Sasuke was almost too obvious.

The way Sasuke held himself was similar to a younger version of Naruto before he trained it out of himself. The hunch of the shoulders, the instinctive tensing when anyone came too close. Naruto knew that posture. 

_ A knife, slicing through the skin of his cheeks.  _

He shivered and brushed a hand over his scars. His friends knew by now not to ask about them, but Sasuke had never bothered. Maybe he knew Naruto wouldn’t answer. Maybe Shikamaru told him not to ask. Maybe he just didn’t care. Either way, the lack of interest Sasuke showed in Naruto’s biggest insecurity was a relief. And somehow, when they were together, Naruto felt a little less lonely.

When Naruto pulled his car into the parking lot outside their apartment, he resolved himself to learn more about his mysterious, darkness-shrouded roommate.

* * *

Sasuke was about to bang his head against a bookshelf or something. 

Karin would not, for the life of him, leave him alone. He shelved a book, trying his best to drown out her ramblings, but failing miserably. 

“So, where do you live, Sasuke?” He turned to her, a withering glare across his pale face. To her credit, Karin didn’t even flinch, only sending a flirtatious smile his way. She’d been trying to get that little bit of information out of him since the day Naruto showed up last week. 

Instead of answering, Sasuke simply returned to his work, allowing his mind to drift to the topic of his roommate as Karin chattered on in the background. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Naruto, though he knew that some sort of strange affection was forcing its way into his heart. Sasuke still knew so little about him, and yet he felt drawn to him in a way he had never experienced. Perhaps it was the fact that he so obviously shared the same pain that Sasuke felt. Something pulled at his chest as he remembered the look on Naruto’s face when he had jumped from the floor. The apologetic and horrified expression when Sasuke retreated so quickly.

Glancing down at his watch, Sasuke noted that he only had to suffer through fifteen more minutes of Karin’s insufferable monologuing before he could go home. 

“Don’t you have work to do?” He muttered, mostly to himself. Karin blushed. 

“Aw Saucey, you do care! You’re right, how sad would you be if I got fired? I’ll go do some work so we can stay together, darling! Tata!” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes as the red-haired woman sauntered away with a coy wave. He spent the last minutes of his shift shelving the books on his cart, then he clocked out without so much as a glance to Karin. 

His walk home was short, but the day had been long. He’d been distracted in all of his classes, and that was something he couldn’t tolerate. His mind kept shifting back to Naruto, to the look in his ocean blue eyes when he looked at Sasuke the day before. How could he— 

A thought hit Sasuke so hard that he paused mid-stride. 

He hadn’t thought about Itachi all day. Not since that morning anyway. But still, it had been twelve hours at least, which was easily the longest Sasuke had been distracted from his goal of finding his older brother. Instead of the black eyes of his brother that he was expecting, a pair of bright blues flashed in Sasuke’s mind. 

Who  _ is  _ Naruto Uzumaki? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! This is a bit of a set up to the next chapter more than anything, but I would love to hear what you all think! Thanks for reading :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well! Enjoy the chapter!

As he pushed open the apartment door, Naruto’s hand began to twitch toward the refrigerator. His feet began moving towards the kitchen of their own accord as exhaustion flooded through his body. His fingers were already outstretched toward the fridge door when a stray thought forced its way to the forefront of his mind, and froze him in place. 

_ “At least try to quit. You know you’re hurting yourself, Naru.” _

Kakashi’s words from the night before echoed around his skull. The two of them sat on his bed in silence for hours. Somehow, Kakashi always knew what Naruto needed, and he never asked for an explanation. And Naruto never offered one. Because of this, the professor had become his go-to person to call when he needed someone to keep him sane. 

_ “Okay,”  _ Naruto had said.  _ “I promise I’ll try.”  _

God, how Naruto regretted making that promise. His shoulders were tense, and he felt like his legs were going to give out at any moment. Just one wouldn’t be too bad, would it? It would help to release the stress in his back, which is good, right? His hand spasmed slightly, inching ever closer to the plastic handle. 

_ “... try to quit…”  _

As the words filtered into his mind, Naruto curled his hand into a fist and slammed it down on the countertop to the right of the fridge. A few dishes rattled at the quake it caused. 

“Dammit!”

He sank down to the floor, his back pressed against the fridge, trying to put a physical barrier between himself and the liquor that was stored within. 

“I don’t need it,” he whispered, covering his eyes with an arm. “I don’t.”

* * *

When Sasuke finally managed to un-stick himself from the pavement, the sun had already completely set. His mind was racing, straining to distinguish any of his emotions. 

The only one he had managed to name was rage. 

How  _ dare  _ Naruto distract him from his goals? He could have found Itachi and beaten him into the ground if not for that obnoxious idiot. Well, not anymore. Sasuke wouldn’t give up on looking for his brother for anything or anyone. 

_ Tomorrow,  _ Sasuke thought, a grimace gracing his pale face.  _ I’ll visit the psych department tomorrow. They’ll know where Itachi is. Someone will.  _

And with that, he forced himself to continue his walk home. He would need to get ahead on homework if he planned on searching for Itachi, so he would lock himself in his room until at least two weeks worth was finished.

Every thought of homework flew out of his head as soon as he opened the apartment door. Naruto was sitting on the floor, in almost exactly the same place he’d been the day before. Sasuke felt a quiet gasp attempt to escape from his mouth, but he swallowed it down. 

“Naruto?” he called, not moving from his place beside the door. He removed his shoes and set his bag down. The blond looked up at the sound of his name, his eyes clear and conscious. Nothing like the stormy haze they showed yesterday. But the pain in them was obvious, and it pulled at a place deep in Sasuke’s chest.

“Sasuke,” Naruto whispered. There was a desperate note lacing his voice, and Sasuke shivered at the sound of his name. 

“Sasuke, please.” A tan hand ran through the blond hair, tugging hard at the back. “Sasuke, I need to stop. Please.” 

Sasuke furrowed his brow, moving slowly in the direction of the kitchen. He stayed silent, watching his roommate as he struggled to voice his emotions. 

“I— I need to— to quit. I can’t throw it away. Please help me, Sasuke.” 

Naruto was not asking. He was  _ begging. _ Begging  _ Sasuke  _ to throw away his liquor. 

Sasuke remembered his father, and the look on his face when Itachi told him to quit drinking. The rage that played across it, and the punch that followed. But Naruto was not angry. He was  _ desperate.  _ He  _ wanted  _ to stop. He wanted it with his entire being. 

“I don’t care what you do with it. Just— please.” 

That. There. The pleading was too much to ignore. Sasuke couldn’t help it. Despite his promises to himself, he nodded and crouched beside Naruto. This was an exception. 

“Tell me where it is. I’ll get rid of it.” 

Naruto listed off a few places, pushing away the anxiety that turned his stomach between each and every one. When Sasuke left the apartment with a large trash bag full of liquor, Naruto gave his all to move on from the pain. He scrubbed his hands over his face, his scars pulling as he wiped away his tears. 

_ This is it,  _ Naruto thought to himself.  _ It won’t be like last time. I’ll really quit this time. For good. I promised. I won’t break that promise.  _

He picked himself off of the ground and took a deep breath, steeling himself for the coming days.

Sasuke returned from the garbage room a few minutes later, the apartment now cleaned of every trace of alcohol. He wouldn’t spare Naruto so much as a glance before locking himself in his room. On the other side, he pressed himself against his closed door, furious. 

How did Naruto  _ do that?  _ All it had taken was a glance and Sasuke was forgetting every promise he had made to himself. Every pledge of vengeance was thrown out the window with a flash of those blue eyes. 

_ Fine,  _ Sasuke vowed,  _ if that’s how it is, I’ll just make sure it doesn’t happen again. He can’t affect me if we never see each other. Focus, Sasuke. _

* * *

The first thing Naruto noticed when he woke up the next morning is how much everything  _ hurt.  _ His skull ached at the slightest movement, and he cursed at himself for not doing this on a day that he didn’t have to get up for classes. He slowly lifted himself from his mattress, but as soon as his feet hit the floor, his stomach turned. Holding a hand over his mouth, he rushed to the bathroom and hunched over the toilet just in time. As he lost the remnants of his dinner from the night before, his headache only continued to grow stronger. When his body finally let up, he rested his cheek against the toilet seat, breathing heavily and remembering exactly why he’d failed to quit last time. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there before a pounding at the door infuriated his headache further. 

“Naruto! Get out of there! I need to take a shower!” Sasuke’s irritated voice pierced through the door and straight into Naruto’s skull. He groaned and shakily pushed himself back to his feet, hopeful that his stomach would allow him at least an hour before it had another episode. He washed his hands and brushed his teeth, ignoring Sasuke’s banging to the best of his ability. When he emerged from the bathroom, the black-haired man was glaring at the doorway. Naruto wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw the black eyes widen marginally when Sasuke took in his appearance. 

“Loser,” Sasuke huffed, pushing past him towards the shower. Naruto sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with a shaky hand, shuffling over to the couch in a daze. As he collapsed on the sofa, he realized that going to class may not be an option. He cringed at the thought of missing yet  _ another  _ lesson, but his body didn’t feel like giving him much of a choice. 

But Naruto’s mind began to swirl at the possibilities of what could happen from missing class. He could fail. He could get kicked out of school. He wouldn’t get to live his dream. He would have to beg Jiraiya to take him on his travels again.  _ Oh god.  _ That would  _ not  _ happen. So Naruto kicked himself off of the couch and went around gathering all of his things for his classes, the anxiety pushing him despite his headache. 

He was just about to step out the front door when a voice stopped him in his tracks. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” 

Naruto turned slowly to find Sasuke staring at the backpack slung over his shoulder. 

“Uh… going to class?” The pale boy lifted an eyebrow. 

“In your condition? You look like you’re about to pass out, Idiot. Don’t even bother.” And with that, Sasuke brushed past him and pushed his way out of the door, leaving a blinking Naruto in his wake. 

Sasuke’s words must have triggered something, because as soon as the door closed, exhaustion flooded throughout Naruto’s whole body. Within moments, he found himself falling asleep on the living room couch, his bag still slung around his shoulders. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, leaving kudos, and everything else! I seriously love to talk to you guys, so please continue commenting! I hope you all liked the chapter, I know it kind of hurts :( See y'all next time!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you've all had a good week! Here's the next chap, hope you enjoy!

Sasuke briskly marched through the halls of the apartment building, listening to the distant echo of their door slamming behind him as he neared the exit. He was ashamed to have been shaken by Naruto’s pale and sweaty complexion when he first stepped out of the bathroom. And after that, Sasuke had barely suppressed his rage when he saw his roommate trying to go to class. Naruto looked as though he could hardly hold his head up, let alone walk the mile to campus or pay attention to a lecture. 

_ Naruto doesn’t matter,  _ he scolded himself.  _ I have to find Itachi. Someone at the Psychology Department will know him.  _

But first, there was the matter of class. He lightly pondered the idea of skipping, but now Kakashi knew where he lived. Sasuke wouldn’t put it past the silver-haired man to hunt him down for missing his lecture. So, Itachi would have to wait a few more hours. 

After two long hours of irritated note-taking, Kakashi’s class finally ended. Just as Sasuke was about to scurry out of the room, the professor called him over. 

“Uchiha!” The student sighed in frustration. 

“Professor Hatake?”

“Kakashi, please. I was quite surprised to find that you are my little Naru’s new roommate.” Sasuke shrugged, cringing internally at the pet name. The silver-haired professor eyed him, sizing him up. The student kept his face neutral. “Naruto doesn’t really like to talk about it, but he’s had a rough life. We try to do what we can to help him, but he doesn’t make it easy.” The younger man was confused. Why was Kakashi telling him all of this? His feet itched to move towards the door, but the older man’s next words stopped him in his tracks. 

“I think you may be able to get through to him.”

Sasuke’s black eyes shot up to meet Kakashi’s. The man squinted at him, as if smiling at him through his mask. His body shook with a surge of emotion, though he couldn’t identify what it was. Sasuke wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer, but couldn’t help but ask. 

“Why me?”

“I’ve known Naruto for quite a long time, and he has never invited me over when there was any chance someone could see. He likes to keep his family as private as possible. The fact that he asked me over when you were there is proof enough that he trusts you. So I would appreciate it…” 

Suddenly, Sasuke was having trouble breathing. Kakashi’s voice faded into the background as he thought over this new information. Naruto… trusted him? Why? How? When did he…? Questions flew through Sasuke’s mind until a request from Kakashi broke through his reverie. 

“Take good care of him, Sasuke.”

* * *

The majority of Sasuke’s trek over to the Psychology building was spent trying to rid himself of intrusive thoughts about Naruto. Kakashi hadn’t really revealed much, but his request was certainly enough to shake him up for a while.  _ “Take good care of him.”  _ Take care of Naruto? 

Sasuke walked into the Psych building, pushing that thought away until he had time to deal with the repercussions of the professor’s request. Now was not that time. 

Once he was in the department, Sasuke realized that he hadn’t the slightest idea of who to ask about Itachi. He glanced around, his eyes landing on a serious looking, older boy. The man had shocking red hair, and Sasuke thought he saw a flash of eyeliner. The boy certainly  _ looked  _ like an older student, so hopefully he would know something about Itachi, or at least who he could ask.

“Do you know Itachi Uchiha?” Sasuke asked, never one for small talk. The boy looked up, a cold glare in his green eyes. 

“Leave me alone,” the man growled. 

“Do you know Itachi Uchiha?” he repeated, challenging the older boyo. His eyes narrowed, and he glared back at the strange man. Sasuke noticed now that he had a red tattoo peeking out from behind his hair, which he recognized as the kanji for “love.” 

“Didn’t you hear me? I said, go away.” 

“Gaara!” A woman’s voice echoed down the quiet hallway. Sasuke looked away from the man— Gaara— to see a girl with four little ponytails walking towards them. “Making new friends, I see?” 

The red-haired man glared. “Temari.”

“Who are you?” Temari asked, looking at Sasuke. He stared her down, but she didn’t give an inch. He chose to ignore the question, repeating his own. 

“Do you know Itachi Uchiha?” She lifted a blond eyebrow. 

“Can’t say I know the name. He’s a psych major?” 

“Was. Or so I was told.”

“Well, you could always ask Orochimaru,” Temari said. Gaara’s eyes narrowed at the name. “He’s one of the top psychology professors, and he knows everyone. Third floor, can’t miss it. Let’s go, Gaara. Nice meeting you.” 

The two of them walked out of the building, gracefully sweeping through the abandoned hallway. The odd interaction with Gaara and Temari had left him slightly off-balance, but Sasuke turned to the nearest staircase, determined to get some sort of answer today. Whoever this Orochimaru was, he had better know Itachi.

When he reached the top of the stairs, Sasuke understood why Temari had said that you couldn’t miss the man’s office. It was massive, and took up most of the space on the third floor. There was what looked to be a storage closet to Sasuke’s left, but everything else appeared to be dedicated to Orochimaru. 

As he pushed through the door, he was greeted by a young man with round glasses and long gray hair, tied back into a low ponytail. 

“Good afternoon,” the man said. “Do you have an appointment?” 

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. An appointment? How could Sasuke have been so thoughtless? Of course he would need an appointment.

“No.”

“I am afraid I cannot let you see Doctor Orochimaru without an appoint—”

“That’s quite alright, Kabuto.” A snakelike voice came out of the shadows, and a cold shiver ran down Sasuke’s spine. A man approached the desk from the back of the room, smirking at Sasuke as he slithered towards him. 

“You are the spitting image of one of my very favorite former students. You must be Sasuke,” Orochimaru hissed. 

“So you do know Itachi,” Sasuke responded. “How do you know my name?”

The man let out what must have been a laugh, though it had no humor in it. “Oh, of course Itachi spoke of little else. He loved you dearly, young Sasuke.” 

Sasuke felt a spark of anger in his chest, but pushed it back. “I find that hard to believe. Do you know where he is?” 

“Oh, please come in. We can chat about your darling brother in my office. Kabuto, cancel my next appointment.” The professor gestured to Sasuke, asking him to follow him. Kabuto nodded respectfully, and returned to face the screen in front of him.

As the door closed behind them, Sasuke felt another chill run up his spine. Every instinct in him told him to leave, but he stood his ground, determined to find out what Orochimaru had to say. The older man sat gracefully in his chair, and asked him to take a seat. 

“I’ll stand,” Sasuke replied. “Tell me where my brother is.” 

Orochimaru tutted at him. “Such bad manners, my dear Sasuke. Of course, I would be happy to tell you. However, I have not heard from Itachi in some time, and I can’t say I know where he’s run off to. Perhaps I should give him a call, and see if he’d like to have lunch. Itachi was my favorite student after all.” The man licked his lips, and Sasuke fought back a look of disgust. 

“If you hear from him, email me. Don’t tell him I’m the one looking for him.” Sasuke began to move toward the door, eager to leave this man’s large office. 

“Absolutely, dear Sasuke. Just leave your information with Kabuto. And please, feel free to stop in anytime. I do so enjoy the company of clever  _ young men  _ such as yourself.” Orochimaru gave Sasuke a sickening smirk, letting out a chuckle as the door swung closed between them. 

Sasuke was almost sick to his stomach thinking about the old man’s advances, but still stopped to leave his school email with the gray-haired secretary as he left. He walked out of the building minutes later, hopeful that this old creep could help him find his brother.

* * *

Sasuke arrived home later, relieved that he didn’t have to work, and anxious to check his email. He knew it was unlikely that Orochimaru would have already heard from Itachi, but there was nothing wrong with checking. Every hour. Or every ten minutes. 

As he unlocked the door, he remembered the state he had left Naruto in that morning, and the conversation he’d had with Kakashi. Determined not to care, he pushed into the apartment and dropped his things on the floor. As he moved further inside, he found the older boy asleep on the living room couch. 

_ Withdrawal must be exhausting,  _ Sasuke thought, taking in his roommate’s appearance. 

Naruto had one shoe on and his backpack was still hanging over his shoulders. He was face-planted on the couch, his shoulders heaving with each deep breath. His hands were shaking from the withdrawal, even in his sleep.

Sasuke waged an internal battle. It was a person’s duty to make sure their roommate was okay, wasn’t it? But he had already wasted so much time worrying about this man. 

_ Take good care of him, Sasuke.  _

Sasuke caved, scolding himself more incessantly with each action he took to help the blond boy. He started with the single shoe dangling off of Naruto’s left foot, then moved to the backpack. That was harder, as he had to maneuver the boy’s arms out of the straps without waking him up. 

Just as Sasuke was about to return to his bedroom, he paused. His head screamed at him as he lifted the blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over Naruto. As soon as the fleece touched his shoulders, Naruto shifted in his sleep, rolling over to face the younger man. 

Sasuke’s dark eyes locked on the scars on his cheeks, almost like whiskers, and he wondered, not for the first time, how Naruto got them. But he knew better than to ask about scars. 

As he began to walk away, Naruto shifted once again, and he lifted an arm, his fingers brushing against Sasuke’s arm lightly. The black-haired boy froze as the arm returned to its place on the couch. As soon as he regained the ability to move from his spot beside the sofa, he retreated to his bedroom.

His heart pounded as he closed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww lil Gaara makes my soul melt. I love him so much. Let me know what you all thought! Ta!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Gaara action! Enjoy!

Naruto woke up on the couch. The windows were still dark, indicating that it was still sometime in the early hours of the morning. For the first time in a long time, Naruto felt well rested. He breathed in a sigh of intense relief. 

As he lifted himself into a sitting position, a blanket fell from his shoulders. He noted that his backpack was leaning against the coffee table, and couldn’t recall removing it the day before. 

_ Sasuke.  _

Naruto felt a small smile cross his face as he thought of his moody roommate. The dark-haired boy tried so hard to pretend he didn’t care, but when it really came down to it, Sasuke had never let him down. 

Glancing around, Naruto found his phone buried between the cushions of the couch, and turned it on. He cringed at the sight of his notifications. He hadn’t really checked it since he was at Sakura’s place, and that was…  _ shit.  _ That was Saturday. Naruto balked at the little “Thursday” taunting him from the screen of his phone. He’d been asleep for almost an entire day. And hadn’t checked his phone for nearly a week. He scrolled through the mountain of texts and voicemails, feeling worse with each one he read.

The most concerning texts he read were from Shikamaru.

_ Naruto, I heard what happened with Sakura. You okay?  _

_ Dude, answer me. _

_ Dammit Naruto, you idiot! put the bottle down and answer me. _

_ I’m gonna tell Gaara. _

As he read the last message, from just last night, Naruto felt the blood drain from his face. Gaara was not going to be happy. He hesitantly clicked into his thread with his other best friend.

_ I’m coming over. _

Anxiety pulled at Naruto’s chest. He hated when he worried Gaara, because he was always too protective. The text was from under an hour ago, which meant that the redhead was already on his way. If Shikamaru had told Gaara what Sakura had done, Naruto only hoped she had the good sense to grab Sasori and skip town. 

The bang on the door came only ten minutes later, and though Naruto had been expecting it, it still managed to startle him. He leapt to his feet, trying to open the door before the loud knocking woke Sasuke in the next room. As he pulled it open, he found a pale boy with bright red hair glaring at him. 

“H-Hey Gaara,” Naruto started, a bashful grin on his face. Gaara pushed past him into the apartment. 

“Are you okay, Naruto?” 

“I’m fine,” the blond began. Green eyes turned on him, daring him to try to lie. “I mean it. I’m okay now.” Gaara’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly at the honesty in Naruto’s voice. “I had a rough few days, but I’m alright now. Promise.” 

The red-haired man nodded slowly, then turned on his heel and entered the kitchen. He pulled open a few cupboards, then the fridge, then looked back to Naruto, confused. 

“Where is it?” he demanded, accusing. 

“I got rid of it.” 

A strange mixture of shock and pride took over Gaara’s face until he masked it moments later. He turned back toward the kitchen and started looking for something again. 

“Where is your coffee?” Naruto smiled gently at his friend. 

“Top shelf,” he replied, pointing at a cupboard to Gaara’s right. The redhead began measuring coffee grounds while Naruto started a conversation. 

“You didn’t have to come all the way here. It’s early.” Very early, if the clock above the stove was correct. A four flashed in the hour slot. 

“I either came here or went to visit Sakura,” he growled. Naruto blanched, and waved his hands. 

“It’s okay, Gaara,” he said. “I’m not all that mad at her. I mean, I  _ am.  _ But not because of the relationship ending. I was thinking about breaking up with her anyway. I’m more upset that she broke my trust.” 

Gaara paused with the full coffee pot in his hand. He looked at Naruto, and those penetrating emerald eyes stared into his soul. Gaara was one of the few people that Naruto had never been able to lie to. Since their freshman year, the red-haired man had always seen right through him. 

“That doesn’t make it any better,” he said. Naruto stared at him quietly for a moment. 

“You’re right. Doesn’t mean I want you to scare the shit out of her.” He took the coffee mug Gaara was handing him and took a sip. He choked a little at the taste. “Dude, you make the worst coffee I’ve ever had. Remind me why I let you make this shit?” Gaara blinked at him, his face neutral. He sipped at his own coffee, grimacing slightly before setting it down on the counter. 

“Let’s go to the ring,” Gaara proposed. 

Naruto’s spirits lifted at the offer. A genuine grin graced his tan face, and he agreed enthusiastically. He ran to change and the two of them were out the door in minutes.

* * *

Sasuke woke to the sound of a door slamming and the smell of coffee. He took a sniff and wrinkled his nose. For some reason, it didn’t smell like Naruto’s usual brew. Something felt off as he wandered into the living room, and drifted toward the kitchen. The couch was now empty, the blanket thrown across the armrest. 

There was no sign of Naruto in the apartment except the full mug of coffee on the kitchen counter. It was still steaming, so Sasuke leaned in to take in the scent wafting off the brew. He glanced across to the other side of the kitchen, where he noticed a second mug of piping hot coffee. His black eyes narrowed. 

_ Was someone else here?  _ Sasuke pondered the thought, moving to pour himself a cup of this odd-smelling coffee. He lifted the mug to his lips, then promptly went to dump the entire pot down the drain.  _ Disgusting. Naruto didn’t make this.  _ He scrubbed at the inside of the coffee pot, trying to rid the glass of any lingering taste. He wondered lightly if Naruto’s girlfriend had made the coffee.

As he made a new pot, Sasuke’s thoughts moved to his brother, and about the promise Orochimaru had made him the day before. He pulled his phone out of his hoodie pocket as he waited for the coffee to brew, bringing up his email. Nothing. A frustrated sigh left his lips. 

Sasuke took a deep drink from his new mug of coffee, satisfied with the bitter aroma. With a glance out the window, he realized that it was earlier than he had originally thought. It was just past five in the morning, and he felt a pang of worry pull in his chest. Where had Naruto gone at this hour? The door to the other boy’s bedroom was wide open, and the bathroom was empty. With another long sip, Sasuke pushed his anxiety to the side, deciding to use this extra time to finish his homework for the weekend. 

_ Naruto doesn’t matter. _

* * *

Right hook. Block. Jab. Dodge. Block. Jab. Dodge. 

Naruto’s mind was completely lost to the motions as he sparred with Gaara. The two had been at the ring since early in the morning, and Naruto’s body was starting to feel the pressure. He threw another punch at his friend, and felt the counter graze his side. A grin crossed his face at the close-call, and a drop of sweat slid down the side of his jaw.

“Shouldn’t you two be in class about now?” A voice echoed through the gym, and Naruto instinctively looked toward the sound. Big mistake. A gloved fist collided with the side of his face, pushing him to the edge of the ring. He glared at his friend.

“What did you do that for?” 

“You got distracted,” Gaara said, a hint of amusement in his green eyes. 

“You jerk,” Naruto joked, rubbing his jaw. Then, he remembered what had distracted him in the first place, and looked out towards the door to find the source of the voice. 

“Iruka!” A grin split Naruto’s face and he jumped out of the ring to greet the man. Gaara followed close behind, pulling off his boxing gloves as he went. 

“Naruto,” Iruka greeted with a smile. Concern flickered through his kind eyes. “How are you feeling?” 

Naruto’s face fell. 

“Kakashi told you?” 

“Who else? Come on, kid. Let’s get something to eat.” He nodded to Gaara, who returned the gesture. Iruka ushered them into the changing rooms to shower, and soon enough the three men were on their way to Naruto’s favorite cafe. 

When they arrived at Ichiraku Coffee, the older man pushed the two students to find a table while he ordered their food and drinks. He joined them a few minutes later, several coffee mugs grasped in his fingers, with some paper bags under his elbow. The two boys each grabbed a mug and a bag, then all three of them plopped into their chairs. 

“How’s business, ‘Ruka?” Naruto asked, chewing a bite of his breakfast sandwich. 

“Decent. Kakashi’s been having fun teaching the little kids, but he’ll never admit it. I miss having you around all the time though. Busy semester?” 

The blond nodded. 

“Busy life is more like it. Shizune’s a slave driver, I swear.” Iruka gave Naruto a sympathetic smile and turned the redhead. 

“You, Gaara? How are your classes?”

“Fine,” he said, his voice as scratchy as ever. “Not as busy as Naru is.” He sent a look at the blond, warning him that there would be no avoiding the topic. 

“Naruto quit drinking,” Gaara says. Iruka’s mouth fell open, and his head jerked to look at the other boy. Naruto squirmed in his seat, taking a sip of his coffee to avoid Iruka’s gaze. When he finally set the mug down, he looked up to find Iruka had tears in his eyes. 

“I’m proud of you, Naruto.”

* * *

After the day he’d had, the last thing Sasuke wanted was to go to work. Just the thought of having to see Karin’s bright red hair was enough to make him want to head straight home and collapse. 

He’d been distracted all through his classes, thinking of Itachi, and Orochimaru, and Kakashi, and  _ Naruto.  _ Karin didn’t even cross his mind until his last class of the day, when a reminder popped up on his phone, telling him he had to work.

But there he was, walking through the doors of Taka Used & New Books, clocking into his shift, and grabbing a cart of used paperbacks to shelf. He was thinking that maybe, just  _ maybe,  _ he got lucky, and Karin had the day off, but then— 

“Saaasukeee!” 

He muttered a curse, glaring at the spine of the innocent book he was holding. She appeared beside him in seconds, and he felt a grimace pull at his cheeks. 

“How are you, Saucey? I had the weirdest day today…” 

Sasuke quickly fell into his usual routine of ignoring Karin while pushing around his cart.

“...haven’t seen Naruto around in a while.” Sasuke’s head jerked up at the sound of the blond’s name. “You’re friends with him right?”

“No,” Sasuke answered, swallowing. Karin looked surprised that he’d actually responded to her rambling. 

“Oh, good,” she continued. “I’ve never liked Naruto either. He’s so loud and annoying.” 

“You’re one to talk,” Sasuke muttered. She didn’t seem to hear. 

“Always looking for attention. But I guess anyone would if they grew up like him, traveling with that old man all the time. But anyway, Naruto is just horrible—”

“You don’t know anything about him,” Sasuke heard himself snap. Karin’s eyebrows raised, shock plastered across her face. 

“And you do?” the redhead asked. 

“Obviously more than you,” he snarled. “Fuck off, Karin.” 

Sasuke jammed a novel into a shelf, his ears burning as he realized what he had just done. 

He’d just  _ defended  _ Naruto. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it! Please let me know what you thought! Your comments absolutely make my day, so thank you all from the bottom of my heart. See you next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you've all had a good week! This one is one of my favorites so far, so please enjoy!

Sasuke swept through the living room, not daring to look at anything but his own bedroom door. A muscle in his eye wouldn’t stop twitching, and his feet stumbled over the coffee table in his haste to isolate himself from the world. 

When the door finally slammed behind him, he couldn’t help but slam his foot as hard as he could into the leg of his desk. Sasuke bit his lower lip to keep from screaming in rage and pain. 

Every time he told himself he wouldn’t let Naruto get to him, the blond seemed to dig himself deeper into the farthest reaches of Sasuke’s mind. It was as if they were tied together, and with every attempt he made to pull away, the knot only tightened. 

Lowering himself into his chair, Sasuke massaged the ball of his bruising foot, debating his options. There was no way that he could allow himself to be  _ friends  _ with Naruto, that was out of the question. Friendships were too much of a distraction, they took away time Sasuke needed to focus on his goal. Finding Itachi. And relationships have always come with too much pain for Sasuke. He was better off alone. 

He couldn’t move out—he had nowhere to go. Fugaku would never take him back, not that Sasuke would ever even attempt to return to his childhood home. He’d already tried staying away from Naruto, and that didn’t turn out well. So, that only left one choice. It shouldn’t be too difficult— their schedules were often opposed— and Sasuke was pretty good at being a jerk. He had been practicing his whole life, but… 

He would have to make Naruto avoid  _ him  _ instead.

* * *

Naruto felt worlds better by the time he returned home from his day with Gaara and Iruka. It wasn’t too often that he got to spend time with them, and they were about as close to family as Naruto had. When you had no one left, it became easier to shamble together a surrogate family. That was true for all of them. Naruto, Gaara, Iruka, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and even Granny Tsunade— they were all alone in the world. No family to speak of, but they had each other. 

It was beginning to seem, to Naruto, that Sasuke might be alone too. 

When he arrived at the apartment, Sasuke’s door was shut tight, a dark aura permeating through the wood. He decided to leave his roommate alone, for now. A beer sounded fantastic, and Naruto’s hand clenched tightly at the thought. He hadn’t gone through the past two days for nothing. 

Instead of moping about his craving, the man dug his laptop out of his backpack, put it on the charger, and got to work on the classwork he’d missed. Every time a hint of an itch for liquor hit him, Naruto crushed it under the weight of his accumulated mountain of homework from the past four days. 

As the night went on, the chilly atmosphere emanating from Sasuke’s room only seemed to darken. The veritable mountain of work could only be called a hill at this point, and the windows were letting in only the silver light of the moon. 

Given the past few days, Naruto thought it appropriate to ease into Sasuke’s good graces with some delicious food. So, he set to work making one of his favorite dishes: ramen. This was no ordinary instant ramen, because Naruto was going to be a chef! Not to sound down on cup ramen, of course—Naruto loved cup ramen. But he was making  _ this  _ ramen for his friend, to apologize for having to deal with his own stupid issues. 

When the noodles were cooked, he pulled out his favorite bowl, pouring in a large serving of the soup. The bowl was a massive, bright orange, porcelain monstrosity, and Naruto loved it to pieces. Jiraiya had given it to him for his birthday the year after his parents’ death. He’d handed it over with a wide grin on his face, knowing perfectly well that it was the best gift he could ever give to his god-son. Orange, and perfect for ramen. Grabbing the full bowl and a pair of chopsticks, he moved to knock on Sasuke’s door. 

“Sasuke,” he called, hoping the dark-haired boy would answer quickly. The bowl was hot, and Naruto regretted not grabbing a tray. 

When the door swung open, Sasuke glared first at Naruto, then down at the steaming bowl of noodles. He raised a dark eyebrow, glancing up at the blond. 

“Peace offering,” Naruto explained. He grimaced, shifting the bowl in his fingers. “Sorry… for everything the past couple days.”

Sasuke didn’t move, but Naruto thought he looked slightly shell-shocked. 

“Uh… Sasuke? It’s really hot, so could you—” 

Then, suddenly, Sasuke was gone, and the only sound was the slam of the door behind him. Naruto’s mouth hung open, mid-sentence. A beat passed, and the blond’s fingers began to burn as he clutched the bowl in his hands. He flinched away from the heat and then— 

Boiling hot broth and shards of orange slid across the floor, noodles slithering through the rapidly distending mess. Naruto stared in horror as his treasured possession shattered into pieces in front of his eyes. 

It almost felt like his own heart shattered with it.

* * *

When he finally managed to un-stick his feet from the floor, his socks were drenched with miso. Naruto stepped delicately out of the puddle of vegetables and broth, tiptoeing around the remnants of his favorite dish. 

He hadn’t been able to stem the quiet flow of saltwater that fell from his eyes, as he mourned the loss. He knew it was stupid, but Naruto had always kept that bowl as a sign that he still had people who loved him. Jiraiya  _ cared  _ about him, and that hideous, wonderful bowl was a symptom of that. 

As he mopped up the cold soup, Naruto finally managed to get a hold of himself. After his tears had dried, he made an attempt to think through the interaction he’d just had with his roommate. 

What had he done to cause Sasuke to slam the door in his face? Had his breakdown really affected him so much? How could Naruto fix it? What did he do wrong?

Naruto felt Sasuke’s cold hatred seeping through the white door before him, and a shiver ran down his spine. 

Suddenly, a bout of rage hit him. Who the  _ fuck  _ did Sasuke think he was? 

After the floor was clean once again, Naruto was determined to give his snobby roommate a piece of his mind. He threw the sopping wet rags into the laundry and returned to the door. He didn’t hesitate, even a moment, before pounding his fist against the wood, rattling the door in its frame. 

Eventually, after a lot of banging and rattling, Sasuke pulled open the door. 

“What do you want, idiot?” His voice was cold, icy almost. Naruto held back a shiver, allowing his rage to take over. 

“You asshole,” he started, puffing out his chest. “Who the fuck do you think you are? I felt bad about making you deal with my bullshit, so I made you food. Really fucking good food. Then, you make me break my favorite fucking bowl because you’re too much of a dick to eat good food when it’s handed to you.” Naruto felt his voice begin to rise in volume as his resolve hardened. Sasuke was now frozen, a statue in the doorway. “I know you’re not this much of a dickbag all the time. So get some fucking balls and grow the fuck up, you bastard!” 

He was panting, his tan face red as a tomato, and he could feel his hands shaking at his sides. Sasuke still hadn’t moved, Naruto wasn’t even sure if he’d blinked. A moment passed, and Naruto began to wonder if the other man had even  _ heard  _ him. His breathing settled, and the rage was slowly being replaced with worry. By the time he’d regained control of his emotions, Sasuke was hardly breathing at all. 

“S-Sasuke?” He waved a hand in front of the other boy’s face. No response. His black eyes just stared into nothingness. “Sasuke, are you alright?”

Naruto went to place a hand gently on Sasuke’s shoulder, but before he could even make contact, Sasuke had his back pressed against the opposite wall of his bedroom. From the doorway, Naruto could see that the dark eyes staring back at him were no longer empty. Instead, they were filled with undeniable terror. 

Naruto lifted his hands slowly above his head, pain racing through his veins as he took in the look on Sasuke’s face. He took a hesitant step into the bedroom, but stopped in his tracks when Sasuke’s shoulders tensed. 

“I’m sorry, Sasuke. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I would never hurt you,” Naruto whispered. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I swear I won’t yell anymore. I understand.”

The black eyes widened, and his stiff posture relaxed fractionally. When he spoke, the sound of his voice was raw and ragged, as if Sasuke had been shouting all day. 

“You— You don’t understand—”

Naruto locked his blue eyes on Sasuke’s face, nodding slowly. 

“Yeah, I do.”

“O-Okay.” 

Sasuke crumpled to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees. He had never looked so small, Naruto thought. As he knelt down beside his mysterious roommate, Naruto was hit with a strange sense of  _ calm.  _ Despite the insanity of a few moments ago— of this very moment— Sasuke made him feel calm. 

Naruto curled a strong arm around Sasuke’s thin, hunched shoulders, and a thought struck him. 

“Sasuke,” he said gently. The boy slowly lifted his head from between his knees, raising his black eyes to meet Naruto’s. “Let’s go get some coffee.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( poor lil Naruto and Sasuke:( please let me know what you think! Have a great weekend!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Hope you had a good weekend! Enjoy!

The short drive to the coffee shop was quiet. Sasuke’s breathing was just returning to normal, and Naruto was hesitant to jeopardize that. Getting him into the car had been difficult enough. It had involved a lot of soothing words and a calming voice— two things Naruto couldn’t claim proficiency at. 

The look in Sasuke’s eyes when he had yelled at him earlier told the blond everything he needed to know. He saw it in himself everyday. Nothing could ever take away what that man had done in that alley almost sixteen years ago, but dammit, Naruto was going to fight it with everything he had. It had been a long, treacherous journey to move past even as much of his own trauma as he had. He’d fallen into just about every bad habit he could along the way, but every once in a while, there was a victory. 

One such victory was the day Naruto finally worked up the courage to visit a local gym, and learn how to defend himself. It had been about halfway through his freshman year, and as soon as he walked through the door, he was greeted by a cheerful man with a brown ponytail and a scar across his nose. 

“Hey there,” Iruka had said, a cheerful smile on his face. “Welcome to Umino Gym and Boxing Center.” 

Something about his eyes had drawn Naruto in. They reminded him of his own. The sadness buried deep within them had called to Naruto, and he began visiting the gym almost every day. Iruka taught him how to box, how to fight for himself, and how to protect the people he cared about. 

Later, Kakashi decided to join him, citing the fact that he had been boxing since before Naruto was born, and was therefore bound to be a better teacher than “this Umino person.” Naruto roped in Gaara after a while, and soon they had their little boxing family. When Iruka and Kakashi got together, Naruto swore up and down that he was going to start calling them both “daddy.” Kakashi quickly put a stop to that with a (thankfully, gloved) right hook to Naruto’s face. 

As Naruto and Sasuke pulled up beside Ichiraku Coffee, he thought again of the look that had crossed his roommate’s face. The blatant fear, and the walls that had been built up to hide it from the world. Naruto felt drawn to those walls. He needed to tear them down. He needed to find out what was on the other side. 

Turning the car off, he found it hard to believe that the cheerful breakfast he’d shared with Iruka and Gaara had only been earlier that day. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard, which told him it was coming up on midnight. Looking over at his roommate, Naruto felt a shudder as he took in the guarded look on his face, barely shielding the pain in his eyes. 

Gently nudging Sasuke to open his door, Naruto hopped out of the car and waited at the passenger side. When the black-haired boy emerged moments later, he looked as if he had never shown an emotion in his life. His eyes were clear, his breath was even, and his expression was entirely neutral. Naruto raised a blond eyebrow.

“How’d you do that?” he asked, slightly dazed. 

Sasuke eyed him carefully, furrowing a black eyebrow. 

“Practice.” 

Naruto was unsure how to respond, and his heart ached in his chest. He simply nodded, gesturing for the other man to follow him into the coffee shop. Sasuke could only follow.

* * *

“Black coffee?” the blond asked, not looking at him. Sasuke nodded his agreement. “You grab a spot, I’ll get it.” With that, Naruto wandered off to the counter, and the black-haired boy turned to take in the interior of the shop. 

He could see why Naruto liked it. It was exactly his style, all bright colors and hideous, orange walls. Sasuke was somehow positive that if their apartment allowed its tenants to paint the walls, theirs would be orange. He thought back to the bowl that Naruto had presented him with, and smirked as he recalled the bright orange dish. Then, Sasuke remembered the crash that sounded after he slammed the door in the blond’s face, and any trace of the smile disappeared.

He strolled through the nearly empty shop, looking for a table near the back, and wondering how he had ended up there. The day was a blur— class, work, Karin, defending Naruto, home, hurting Naruto, feeling bad for hurting Naruto, Naruto yelling at him, then— the panic attack. Sasuke vaguely recalled feeling Naruto’s arm wrapped around his shoulders as he struggled to catch his breath, and felt slightly flustered at the thought. 

He felt stupid. It wasn’t an emotion he’d experienced often. He couldn’t bear the thought of allowing himself to catch feelings for Naruto— in any capacity.

Sasuke had always preferred to keep his distance from others after his mother’s death. Well, more specifically, after Fugaku changed. The pain of losing not only his mother, but his father as well was unbearable. So, he decided long ago that it wasn’t worth the risk of becoming attached. He had Itachi, and that was enough. 

And then, Itachi left too. 

A blue mug was placed in front of him, drawing Sasuke out of his thoughts. He looked up just in time to see Naruto placing an orange mug across from him and sitting down. The blond took a long sip from his cup, enjoying the sweet taste of his mocha as Sasuke picked up his own. He took a small sip, and lifted an eyebrow at the delightfully bitter coffee.

“Good, right?” Naruto grinned at him. Sasuke nodded, feeling the corner of his mouth turn up against his will. They both took another long sip from their drinks, gathering their thoughts for what was to come.

“So,” Naruto started hesitantly, the smile long gone, replaced by a serious frown. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” 

Sasuke said nothing. Naruto was giving him a choice— the option to move past this without discussion. But something in the back of Sasuke’s mind was repeating it like a mantra:  _ tell him.  _

“My father was a drunk,” Sasuke said, the words leaving his mouth before he had a chance to catch them. “A mean one.”

Naruto’s eyebrows furrowed, and a wave of sadness crashed through his ocean blue eyes. His mouth opened as if he were about to speak, but he froze when Sasuke held up a hand. 

“When he was drunk… he was… physical.” Sasuke cringed at his own wording, but was unsure how to explain himself without giving too much away. 

“I’m so sorry,” Naruto said, nearly knocking over his coffee in his haste to apologize. “I’m so sorry I yelled at you. I should have noticed after—”

“It’s fine, Naruto,” Sasuke interrupted. “I hide it well.” 

“I’ve been there too, you know,” Naruto said after a moment’s pause. His voice was low, and his eyes were fixed on his coffee cup. “If you ever want to talk—”

“No.” He couldn’t allow it. Sasuke couldn’t possibly trust himself enough to— 

“My parents died when I was five.” Naruto looked surprised at his own words. Sasuke’s head shot up, all attention on his roommate. “Their killer… he gave me these.” His fingers brushed over the scars on his cheeks, and Sasuke felt rage build in his chest. Rage at the man who did such a thing to Naruto. 

The blond looked up at Sasuke, a determined fire in his eyes. 

“So, I understand. I do. Don’t tell me that I don’t understand.”

Sasuke felt a strange swell in his chest— and he suddenly felt almost as if he were no longer alone.

“Okay,” Sasuke replied. “I won’t.” 

Sasuke would never admit it— not even to himself— but by the time they left Ichiraku an hour later, Naruto had laid a claim on Sasuke’s heart. It was small and it was fragile, but it was undeniable, and it was there all the same.

* * *

Naruto was comforted by the fact that Sasuke was just like him. He knew how it felt to spiral down a bottomless hole of terror, and how it felt to claw your way out. 

A spark of companionship rose up in his chest as he thought about his new friend. Sasuke hadn’t said anything, but Naruto had watched the shift that occurred in his face while they talked at the coffee shop. Those dark eyes that had once intimidated Naruto began to soften, and the iron guard he kept up had begun to fall. 

Affection and admiration for the other man flowed through Naruto’s whole body. The incredible strength Sasuke had, and how he pushed through everything that came his way— it was impressive. They both had issues, they both had trauma, but now, they weren’t alone.

When they arrived back at their apartment, it was after one in the morning, and they both had classes the next day, but Naruto would not let Sasuke run away from him until he felt sure he was okay. He could tell that the other boy was fighting within himself, and he hoped beyond hope that Sasuke’s heart would win out. 

Naruto couldn’t deny the unbelievable affection and protectiveness he now felt for his roommate, and it was all he could do to pray that he felt the same. That Sasuke would allow himself to be protected— to have a family that would help him instead of harm him. Anger rose up his chest as he thought of Sasuke’s father— whom he remembered seeing when they first moved in together. Glaring at Sasuke, as if he had been betrayed. What a pitiful existence.

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto said as they removed their shoes. “You know your dad was wrong for what he did to you, right?” 

Sasuke’s face quickly morphed into a closed-off glare, and without answering, he locked himself in his bedroom, not to be heard from for the rest of the night. Naruto sighed and returned to his own bedroom. He gently picked up Gamakichi, smiling softly at the small toad.

“Well, Gamakichi, I guess I’ll have to work a little harder for Sasuke, won’t I?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww they're so cute. I love them. Please let me know what you thought, as usual! Sorry if I'm a little slower at answering comments lately, but I swear I'm reading each and every one! See you next time!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you enjoy!

Sasuke absolutely despised mornings, loud noises, and tardiness. Today, he was dealing with all three. The building’s fire alarm went off at five in the morning, forcing Sasuke out of bed with absolutely no coffee to speak of. Then, already dealing with the first two things on his list of Most Hated Things, he realized on his way to class two hours later that he had forgotten his laptop on his desk in his rush, forcing him to turn around and sprint back to the apartment. 

He walked into Kakashi’s class just two minutes late, and was annoyed to find that the silver-haired professor had not even arrived yet. Of course he hadn’t. 

As he caught his breath, Sasuke fell into a seat near the back of the lecture hall, pulling out his notebook. When he looked back up, he found Kakashi standing at the front of the room, with another man standing right behind him. The other man was huge, easily six foot three, with long, spiky white hair that reached past his waist. Sasuke was just taking in the man’s odd appearance when he reached his face, and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. 

Jiraiya Sannin was standing at the front of his classroom, casually chatting with his professor, like he wasn’t Sasuke’s favorite author of all time. It couldn’t be real. There was no way that Kakashi would just  _ happen  _ to know this amazing mystery writer, who just  _ happened _ to be a master of his craft and Sasuke’s favorite writer  _ ever.  _ No  _ way.  _

But as Kakashi called the class to order, Sasuke’s fears were tossed aside.

“Good morning, guys. You can put away your notes, because we have a guest speaker today.  _ This  _ is Jiraiya Sannin, a good friend of mine and an excellent writer. You may have read some of his mystery novels in your free time. He’s truly a delightful author in  _ all  _ of his pursuits.” Sasuke would have rolled his eyes if he weren’t so excited. He was practically vibrating in his seat at the prospect of hearing the man speak.

“You’re gonna make me blush, Kakashi,” Jiraiya laughed loudly. His voice was booming and cheerful, not what Sasuke would have expected from a haunting mystery writer. “Anyway, you and I both know that my mystery novels have never been your favorite.” 

Sasuke heard a note of teasing in Jiraiya’s words, and he swore he saw a trace of pink on Kakashi’s cheekbone, just above the edge of his mask. He wondered what the writer meant, because he’d read all of Sannin’s novels. They were  _ all  _ mysteries, as far as he knew.

Jiraiya spent most of the class telling them about his travels, and frequently bragged about the beautiful women he had met all across the world. Sasuke’s high opinion of the author fell slightly with each passing comment he made about breasts. 

“... should have seen them! They were this big!” The man held out his arms to demonstrate the size of some poor woman’s chest.

_ This  _ was the man that wrote those incredible novels? This… pervert? 

_ Never meet your heroes,  _ Sasuke thought, an irritated glare passing over his face. As the class hour ended, he rose from his seat, stalking quickly past the two older men at the front, eager to retreat and mourn his lost respect for the great Jiraiya Sannin. After countless hours of indulgent literary analysis, he would never be able to look at those books the same way again. What a disappointment. 

It crossed his mind later to ask Kakashi how he had met Sannin, because Jiraiya certainly did not seem like an academic. Based not only on the fact that the man was undeniably a pervert, but a vagabond as well. Outside of his lewd comments, Jiraiya had talked about his travels across the world, and all of the research he had done there. Sasuke had to wonder whether he would have enjoyed a lifestyle like that, if his own circumstances had been different.

* * *

When Naruto arrived home, he was in a horrible mood. After a rough morning, waking up to the sound of the fire alarm, he had gotten his essay grade back for one of his culinary classes, and his professor had ripped it to shreds with her red pen. Not to mention that his birthday was  _ tomorrow,  _ and he still hadn’t managed to speak to most of his friends after what happened the weekend prior. 

A glance around the apartment told him that Sasuke was home, but locked away in his bedroom, so Naruto kicked off his shoes and collapsed on the couch. He knew, distantly, that his friends expected him to want a party for his birthday. He had played his role well over the past two years, allowing them to shower him in confetti and cake. But he simply wasn’t feeling up to pretending this year. 

He wanted to spend the day with his family, though he knew it was far too late for that. Iruka and Kakashi had the gym and their jobs to worry about, and Gaara had mentioned that Temari was dragging him off somewhere for the day. Tsunade was always busy with something, and Naruto didn’t have the slightest idea where Jiraiya was now. He could be on the other side of the world, for all Naruto knew. Maybe he could use the opportunity to get Sasuke to open up to him. But no, that felt too disingenuous. Naruto couldn’t use his birthday against his friend, especially when Sasuke was already emotionally fragile. 

So, it was either the party, or nothing at all. 

As he was sprawled across the sofa, Naruto felt himself beginning to drift off to sleep, thoughts of his birthday being put to rest as he sank further into the dark.

* * *

The sound of pounding on the front door broke through Sasuke’s headphones, and he felt a flash of irritation rush through him. Could Naruto  _ never  _ open the door? Ripping the buds out of his ears and dropping his pen, he rose from his chair, pushing into the living room to see the blond, fast asleep on the couch once again. His annoyance softened. It was beginning to become such a familiar sight, and Sasuke felt an equally familiar ache in his heart. 

Calming his racing pulse, the black-haired boy moved toward the front door as the banging continued. How Naruto could sleep through the noise, Sasuke would never understand. He finally pulled the entrance open, anxious for the pounding to stop, and froze at the sight of the person on the other side. 

How many times was he going to have to do this? 

Jiraiya Sannin stood at their door, a massive grin on his face as he looked down at Sasuke. The Uchiha blinked up at the tall man, confusion rippling down his spine. He vaguely registered the sound of the man speaking to him, and tuned in just in time to hear the tail end of the question. 

“... okay, kid?” Sasuke shook his head to clear it. 

“I think you have the wrong apartment, Mr. Sannin,” he said, registering a sense of deja vu. Jiraiya laughed loudly at the statement, and Sasuke wondered what was so funny. 

“Not unless that brat Naruto moved in the past five months,” he said cheerfully. “And judging from the blond head of hair on the couch, I don’t think he did.” 

Sasuke shook his head uselessly, feeling incredibly uninformed. He pulled the door open wider, allowing the large man to pass through the entryway into the apartment. Jiraiya kicked off his shoes and moved to stand next to the sofa, a fond smile crossing his face as he looked at Naruto. 

The man leaned down close to the sleeping figure, putting his lips close to Naruto’s ear, and suddenly, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

“GOOOOOD MORNING NARUTO!” __

Sasuke startled at the sound, but was too shocked to move, still standing stock-still beside the door as it slammed closed. Naruto groaned at the sound and flapped a hand in the air sleepily. The old man leaned back and poked the young boy in the stomach with his foot, nudging him awake, and when Naruto’s eyes finally peered open, he froze. 

“P- Pervy old man?” The blond’s face split into a giant grin, jumping up from the couch to pull the man into a warm hug. “You said you wouldn’t be back in Konoha until next year!”

Jiraiya pulled away from the boy, grinning down at him and ruffling his hair. 

“Ah, I was passing through and figured I could stand to pay my dearest godson a visit for his birthday. And I’ve got a new book coming out, and I wanted to give you your copy.” 

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man. 

“It’s not more porn, is it?” Sasuke choked in the doorway, calling Naruto’s attention to him. The blond’s eyes lit up and he grinned at his roommate. 

“Sasuke! This is the old perv! He’s the one who took care of me after…” He trailed off, knowing Sasuke would understand. The black-haired man nodded silently, trying to organize his thoughts and figure out what was happening. 

Naruto was raised by  _ Jiraiya Sannin?  _ The incredible author of Sasuke’s favorite books (and of porn, apparently?), who claimed to have travelled across the whole world? Did that mean that  _ Naruto  _ had travelled with him? Something Karin had mentioned pushed itself to the front of his mind, something about Naruto travelling with an old man. He’d never mentioned any of this to Sasuke, though he knew he wasn’t the easiest person to talk to on his best days. His head continued to spin as the author began to speak. 

“Sasuke? Uchiha, right? Kakashi mentioned you— said you’re a good writer. You’re friends with Naruto, here?” 

“We’re roommates,” Naruto answered, easily taking the pressure off Sasuke. Jiraiya nodded, putting his chin in his hand. 

“Roommates… What happened to that other kid you lived with? Shika-something?”

“Shikamaru. He moved in with his girlfriend, Temari. Sasuke here is his replacement.” 

Temari… The name sounded familiar to Sasuke, but he couldn’t place it. Perhaps Naruto had mentioned her before. He shook away the thought. 

“Well, nice to meet you, kid. Hope you don’t mind, but I’m gonna take Naruto out for some ramen. Go get ready, brat.” Naruto grinned up at the older man and rushed off to his room. Sasuke nodded respectfully and retreated to his bedroom. 

_ What a weird day,  _ he thought, sitting down into his desk chair.  _ Naruto, of all people. _

He went back to his laptop and pulled open his email, surprised to see an email from Orochimaru sitting in his inbox. 

_ Dearest Sasuke, _

_ I am afraid that I have been unable to contact your brother, Itachi, as of yet. In apology, I would like to offer to take you out to dinner. _

_ Should you accept, please inform my assistant, Kabuto, and he shall make arrangements. Should you decline, understand that I expect it will be a long while until I am able to speak with Itachi. _

_ Orochimaru _

Sasuke knew what the implications of the email were. If he wanted Orochimaru to tell him what he knows about Itachi, he would have to work for it. 

He shuddered at the thought, and closed the laptop, deciding to save that decision for another, better day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for all of your support so far, you're all wonderful!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Hope everything is going well for you! Enjoy!

Rushing about his room, Naruto collected his wallet and keys as Jiraiya waited in the living room. His hands shook with happiness as he threw on his jacket, and the smile on his face grew when he returned to find his godfather towering over his couch. The old man grinned at him and they walked out the front door together. 

As Naruto drove them to his favorite ramen shop, Jiraiya chattered about some beautiful woman he’d met in Suna, some pretty lady he’d come across in Amegakure, and many of his other exploits from the past few months. When they arrived, Naruto cheerfully ordered his usual bowl, and slotted himself next to the Sannin on a raised stool at the ramen bar. While his day had been bad, the surprise arrival of his godfather overshadowed it completely.

“...and two bottles of sake,” Jiraiya ordered with a grin. 

Naruto froze. He felt his mind begin to unwind as the thought of having alcohol so close tempted him. He had to say something— he had to stop him— he had to— 

“No.” 

Jiraiya looked at his godson, oblivious to his dilemma.

“Don’t,” Naruto pleaded. The old man raised an eyebrow, clearly lost. “I— I can’t— I can’t.” The look of confusion turned to a look of concern as Jiraiya processed what Naruto was saying. 

“What’s the matter, kid?”

Naruto inhaled through his nose, then released it slowly through his mouth. The salty scent of ramen filled his nostrils, calming him. 

“I— I quit. Drinking.” Jiraiya gave him a look of surprise, his dark eyes widening as he considered this new development. 

“What’s going on, Naruto?” 

“I wasn’t… I wasn’t okay. I was drinking too much. Kakashi made me promise I would quit. So I did,” the blond explained, quiet but growing in confidence. “And I don’t think I can be around it right now. So— please.” 

The old man’s eyes softened, a pained smile crossing his face. He waved over the shop owner without taking his eyes off of Naruto. 

“You can cancel the sake. We’ll take tea instead,” he told the other man. He nodded politely and walked away to finish making their soup. Jiraiya turned back to the younger man. “It’s all right, Naruto. We all have our vices. Good for you. For fighting yours.” 

The blond blushed at the compliment, turning to look at the cup of tea that was placed in front of him. The steam twisted and turned as it rose from the porcelain, and Naruto felt his stomach do the same. 

“So,” Jiraiya started, changing the subject, “tell me about this Uchiha kid.” 

Naruto’s eyes brightened at the thought of his new friend, but after a moment, he recalled the pain that Sasuke had revealed to him, just the night before. His grin dropped, and he sighed. 

“Sasuke’s great. Honestly. He pretends to be all tough and stoic, but really, I think he’s a softie. He reminds me of Gaara, actually,” Naruto started. “But sometimes, I just don’t know what he’s thinking. Sometimes, I think he likes me, and he’ll talk to me about normal stuff, but then he just shuts down. It’s like he doesn’t even  _ want  _ to have friends. Or maybe he just doesn’t like  _ me _ .” 

“That’s impossible,” Jiraiya laughed. “I’ve never met a soul who didn’t like you. Not after they get to know you, anyway. If he doesn’t like you, the kid’s an idiot.” 

“You old pervert, you’re gonna make me blush,” Naruto teased.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” the old man chuckled back, ruffling the boy’s hair playfully. “Anyway, if I were you, I’d let the kid tell you what he wants to do. Give him a chance to figure it out for himself.” 

Naruto nodded slowly, his brow furrowed as he took a sip from his cup. As he set it back down, a large bowl of ramen was placed in front of him, and a grin split his face in two. He pulled his chopsticks apart and immediately began slurping up the noodles, contentment spreading through his chest as he ate. 

Once the two of them finished, and Naruto had requested a second bowl, Jiraiya brought up another topic of conversation. 

“Well, kid, any pretty girls in your life?” A pervy grin lit up the old man’s face at the thought, and Naruto groaned. 

“Not anymore,” he said, grumbling something under his breath. “My girlfriend told me she cheated on me. Last weekend.” 

Jiraiya’s face sank into a frown as he watched his godson. He ruffled his vibrant blond hair and pulled his mouth back into a smile. 

“Sorry, brat. She was no good for you anyway.” 

“I’m not really upset about losing her,” Naruto started, “more that she felt obligated to be with me when she didn’t want to.” He frowned. “I don’t want pity. From her, or anyone else.” 

“Yeah, kid. I know.”

* * *

Sasuke thrashed in his sheets, trying and failing to find a comfortable position to sleep in. His thoughts were frantic— Orochimaru. Naruto. Itachi. Naruto. Kakashi. School. Jiraiya. Naruto. Itachi. Naruto. Every time he landed on a topic, a new one arose, forcing its way to the forefront. Orochimaru’s proposal was one thing, but his conversation with Naruto, which he had been avoiding thinking about up until now, was another thing entirely. 

The previous night’s exchange was haunting his mind now, under the cover of darkness. When Naruto had told him about his parents’ murder, Sasuke found himself struggling to breathe. The rage he felt towards the man who caused the vibrant blond such pain was undeniable. The thought of the scars that would plague Naruto for the rest of his life only exacerbated Sasuke’s anger.

Never in his life had Sasuke felt so much emotion in defense of someone else. His anger towards Itachi was due to his blatant betrayal of trust, and the red-hot hatred he held for his father was just as self-indulgent. But with Naruto, it was different. 

Everything seemed to be  _ different  _ with Naruto. Sasuke’s capacity for human interaction, how quickly he opened up about his emotions. Even the way the moon lit up the night sky seemed different around Naruto. Sasuke wasn’t yet sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He flipped over to his other side, his eyes straining in his skull as he once again tried to push the thoughts into the back of his mind. 

The email from Orochimaru popped back into his head, the hidden meaning in the words pressing into Sasuke’s skull. Clearly the man wanted something more from Sasuke than he had originally hinted at. What exactly that was, he was unsure. Orochimaru had invited him to dinner, which sounded harmless, but the black-haired boy clearly remembered the hungry look on the snake-like man’s face as he studied Sasuke. 

Sasuke slammed his fist down uselessly into his mattress, frustrated with his restless mind. He hoped listlessly that one day, his exhaustion would wrap him up completely, cocooning him in a deep, dark sleep. Perhaps, one day, if that day ever came, he wouldn’t be so tired anymore.

* * *

When Naruto had finally collapsed after a long meal with Jiraiya, he had hoped that he would fall asleep immediately. Instead, he had spent the whole night tossing and turning, nightmares haunting his mind every time he closed his eyes. 

Finally giving up around six in the morning, Naruto scrubbed a hand over his face, groaning with frustration. A thought hit Naruto suddenly, and any motivation to leave his bed was gone. 

Sixteen years. 

And it still felt like it was yesterday.

He fell back against his pillow with a sigh, his blond hair fell limp against his forehead. His mother’s cheerful face flashed in front of his eyes, but it was quickly marred by the memory of her own blood smeared across her cheeks. His father’s last words to him echoed in his mind. 

_ Goodbye, Naruto.  _

He covered his eyes with an arm, hoping to shut out the visions, but they persisted. His parents’ killer, slicing a knife across his cheeks. The way he had screamed as his father sacrificed himself to save him. The look on Sasuke’s face when Naruto told him about his scars. 

Pressing his fingers into his eyes, Naruto tried to stem the flow of his tears, but it was futile. This happened every year. He knew the pain would never go away, but he’d always hoped that it would fade. And yet it never did. The ache in his heart was as strong as it had been as he ran from that alley, sixteen years ago. 

His birthday was the one day a year that he could never hide from his sadness, though not from lack of trying. He imagined Shikamaru would be over later, to scold him and then take him to his distraction of a birthday party. Naruto just hoped he would make it that long. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( sad babies. Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know in the comments <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Naruto!!! I wish I could say that I planned posting this chapter today, but in reality, I just forgot yesterday. I was playing Stardew Valley and got distracted. But this worked out well, because this chapter is about Naruto's birthday! Enjoy!

Sasuke sat in the living room that Saturday morning, a mug of steaming coffee in his hand. It was early in the morning, but he had given up on sleep after hours of endless tossing and turning. Instead, he left his room to work on homework on the couch, in a desperate attempt to distract himself. However, the email from Orochimaru was still stuck in his head, floating around whenever he lost focus for even a moment. 

The apartment was silent. Glancing up from his notebook, Sasuke took in the colors that surrounded him, proudly on display throughout the walls. Naruto had a thing for color, which Sasuke had noted when he first moved in. He thought now that perhaps it was meant to be a distraction from the darkness that haunted the blond. 

Silence seemed to echo directly from Naruto’s bedroom door, and Sasuke felt a sense of dread fill his stomach. He took a sip from his coffee, hoping to settle his worry, but nothing seemed to help. 

After a few hours of silent work and worry, Sasuke heard a knock on the door. Checking his phone, he found that it was just past eight in the morning, and wondered who would visit so early. He placed his notes in a neat stack on the coffee table and stood, moving to answer the door. 

“Mr. Sannin?” The old man looked down at Sasuke, his usual grin replaced with a grim frown. “Is everything okay?” 

Jiraiya’s frown deepened as he followed Sasuke inside. He gestured for the young man to sit, joining him on the opposite end of the couch. 

“Uchiha,” he started. Sasuke turned to him. “Has Naruto told you anything about his parents?” 

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “He told me he saw them die when he was young.” 

Jiraiya ducked his head, slightly surprised. 

“He has a tendency to bottle things up,” Jiraiya said. “But I think it’s important for you to understand him. Since everyone seems to think you’re good for him.” Sasuke furrowed a brow. “Naruto’s parents, Minato and Kushina, died on his fifth birthday. We never found out why he did it, but when they got home from dinner, a man kidnapped Naruto from under their noses. He carved those scars into the kid’s cheeks, and Minato and Kushina were killed protecting him. They took the guy down with them, but Naruto saw everything.”

Jiraiya stopped, looking over Sasuke’s expression. The black-haired boy was frozen. He knew some of this already, but to hear it in such detail was difficult. The next thing the white-haired man said cracked Sasuke’s heart in two. 

“That was sixteen years ago, today. It’s Naruto’s birthday.” 

Jiraiya was still talking, but Sasuke couldn’t bring himself to listen. The feeling of dread residing in his stomach was getting stronger by the second, and his worry and anger for Naruto’s sake was flowing through every part of his body. Every instinct he had was telling him to go check on Naruto, just to  _ see  _ him, just to make sure he was okay. When he finally calmed down enough to tune back into the sound of Jiraiya’s voice, his body was still humming to push its way into Naruto’s bedroom. 

“... never leave him alone on his birthday. It’s the one day a year that he always tries to disappear. I usually ask Kakashi or Tsunade, but Kakashi seems to think that it should be you this year. And I’ll trust his judgement on this one. I don’t know you, Uchiha, but I’m trusting Naruto to you.” 

The old man stood from the couch, and began to move towards the door, but he stopped. 

“Oh, right.” He pulled his bag from his shoulders, rifling through it until he revealed a plain looking box. Jiraiya handed it to Sasuke, who looked down at it in confusion. “It’s Naruto’s birthday present. I won’t be around to give it to him myself, so I’ll let you handle it.” He turned his back on the younger man, and pulled open the door, but paused in the frame. 

“Take good care of him, Uchiha.”

Sasuke stood frozen in the middle of the living room, the box clutched in his hands, as the front door slammed shut. The words echoed through his head, mirrored by Kakashi’s words from the past week. 

_ “Take good care of him, Sasuke.” _

* * *

Naruto groaned into his pillow, desperately hoping that he could go to sleep and just  _ forget.  _ As the window in the corner brightened with the sun, his meager hopes diminished. He curled his fingers into his sheets, a grimace on his face as memories flashed before his eyes. Most of his good memories of his parents were long gone— washed away with time. The few he still had were marred by the reality of the past. 

The darkest memories were the clearest. His mother, her bright red hair matted with blood as she clutched at the wound in her stomach. His father, the look in his blue eyes as he fought to protect his young son. The spiky blond hair that Minato sported, which Naruto saw whenever he looked in the mirror. 

Distantly, Naruto heard the sound of a deep voice, one that didn’t belong to Sasuke, coming from the living room. A door slammed shortly after, so Naruto rolled onto his side and closed his eyes once again. Time went on, and nothing changed. Sleep never came— not today. As hard as he could try, he knew he would only be forced to give up when someone came to get him. 

Naruto wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the door finally opened. He pulled his covers over his head, hoping to hide his despair from whoever had dared to invade his bedroom. 

“I know you’re not asleep,” a voice said. It was muffled through the thick blanket, so he couldn’t tell who it was. Daring to peek an eye over the top of his sheets, he found Sasuke, standing by the doorway, a faint look of hesitation written all over his face. 

“I wouldn’t be able to sleep either,” the raven said, his eyes flitting over Naruto’s face. Naruto sat up, trying to force a grin to appease his friend. 

“You don’t need to pretend in front of me.” The fake smile dropped from his face, and Naruto sighed. 

“Sorry,” he croaked. His voice was ragged from disuse. “You can see through it, can’t you?”

Naruto asked the question, already knowing the answer, but Sasuke nodded anyway. The look in his black eyes was wary, as if fighting an internal battle. 

“The Sannin was here,” Sasuke said quietly. “He told me it’s your birthday. And what that means to you.” 

Naruto tensed.  _ That stupid old pervert.  _

“He gave me this, to give you.” 

Only now did Naruto notice the box Sasuke was holding. His fingers cradled it as if it were a precious object, a delicate thing, just for Naruto. As the black-haired boy approached him, his eyes became more guarded, handing the box over to the blond slowly. Naruto began to tear at the tape when Sasuke’s voice halted him. 

“Before you open it,” he began, “I want to say… about your bowl. I’m— I’m s-sor—”

“Don’t,” Naruto interrupted. He didn’t look up at the other boy, only continued to stare at the box in his lap. Sasuke clamped his jaw shut with a tight nod, casting his eyes to the box as well. 

The blond man again scratched at tape holding the box shut, and when it finally opened, he froze. 

_ How did he…?  _

In the box, beside a copy of Jiraiya’s newest novel, was a bowl. It wasn’t exactly the same: there were different symbols around the sides, and the orange was slightly darker. Naruto felt a tear fall down the side of his face as he took in the sight of the ramen bowl. 

Jiraiya still cared. How the old man had known exactly what Naruto needed, he was unsure. But he had always been a little too observant. The blond always joked that if the old pervert had been a decent parent, young Naruto would have been screwed. 

A presence appeared beside him on the bed. Naruto remembered his roommate and quickly tried to wipe away his tears with a sniff. He looked up to find Sasuke sitting next to him, but facing the door. Naruto felt his resolve cracking, and when the dam broke, he couldn’t hold back. 

He buried his face against Sasuke’s shoulder, tears streaming into his shirt. The other man was frozen, a hand hovering above the blond’s back, eyes wide as Naruto sobbed into his chest. When he felt the salty tears begin to soak through his tee-shirt, Sasuke’s posture finally relaxed, and Naruto felt a warm hand press against his spine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww they're so adorable omg. Please tell me what you're all thinking <3 have a good weekend!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I loved hearing from you guys about the last chapter. I hope you like this one! Enjoy!

Sasuke felt… strange. The body pressing against his chest and shoulder was like a heated blanket, warming him from the outside in. It wasn’t a feeling he was familiar with. 

Thinking back, Sasuke struggled to recall the last time he had been hugged. His father had never been affectionate towards his children, even before his mother’s death. Itachi was not much of a hugger, and it had been years since Sasuke had asked his older brother for anything. Suddenly, the memory hit him, and he found himself falling into thoughts of the past. 

_ The smell of sterility filled Sasuke’s nose, and his vision was dulled with all of the white surrounding him. The hospital had become familiar over the past few years, but it was rare for the young boy to visit his mother alone. As he walked through the hallways, a few nurses watched him, concerned as he made his way to Mikoto’s room.  _

_ As it always did when she saw her children, Mikoto’s face lit up as Sasuke entered her hospital room.  _

_ “Sweetheart,” she said, her voice kind and calm. Her thick hair was long gone now, after her time in chemotherapy treatment. Sasuke moved closer to her bed and grabbed her hand. “What’s the matter, Sasuke?”  _

_ She could always tell when something was wrong. Her motherly instincts were formidable, and worry furrowed her brow as the small hand tightened its grip on her own.  _

_ Sasuke curled his other hand into a fist as he sat down next to Mikoto.  _

_ “Dad is always so impressed with Itachi,” he mumbled. Mikoto raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t care about me at all.”  _

_ Mikoto laughed lightly, tilting Sasuke’s chin up with her free hand. She smiled at her youngest son.  _

_ “Your father loves you both very much, Sasuke. He just isn’t very good at showing it, just like your brother.” Sasuke looked at her, his eyes guarded and cautious. He wanted to believe his mother, but found it hard to believe. “He talks about you all the time. I promise.”  _

_ The young boy’s black eyes lit up at her words. He vaulted into her bed, wrapping his small arms around his mother’s neck and burying his face into her shoulder. She smiled into his thick, black hair and whispered words of adoration for her son.  _

_ Sasuke left the hospital later with a small smile on his face, unaware he had just seen his mother for the last time. _

The lump in Sasuke’s throat only grew as he listened to the sound of Naruto’s sobs. It had been nearly a decade since he had last been this close to another person. Sasuke realized he was frozen, sitting silently like a statue as the blond’s cries began to quiet. Uncertainty filled his mind as the black-haired man analyzed his situation. 

He realized quickly that he had no idea what he was doing. The blond was still crying, but his tears were starting to dry, and Sasuke had done nothing to help. He felt a small sense of guilt fill his chest as he looked down at his roommate, whose face was still hidden against Sasuke’s chest. He pushed the feeling aside as Naruto lifted his head and gave him an apologetic smile.

“Um… thanks,” Naruto muttered bashfully. He pulled his arms away from Sasuke, sitting back on the bed. Sasuke felt his chest tighten as Naruto’s warmth moved away. The raven nodded, straining to keep his face neutral as he gazed at the blond. 

The tan boy wiped his hand across his face and looked down at his hands in his lap. Pulling his knees into his chest, he took a deep breath. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “You shouldn’t have to take care of me just ‘cause the old pervert asked you to.” 

“I didn’t,” Sasuke heard himself say. “I didn’t do it because of him.” The words were forcing themselves out of his mouth. “I was… you were upset.” 

Naruto’s eyes widened and his head shot up, meeting Sasuke’s guarded gaze. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a knock sounded from the front door. Picking up his phone, Naruto realized that it was already late afternoon. Where had the day gone? 

He shot up from the bed, running around to grab all of his things and a change of clothes. He sent a self-conscious look at Sasuke, who hadn’t said a word. The black-haired boy appeared to be frozen, an internal debate happening somewhere in his head. Naruto darted to the bathroom, leaving Sasuke frozen on his bed.

When the blond left the room, Sasuke snapped out of it.  _ What was I saying? Why would I say something like that to him? It’s not even…  _ He rose from the bed and moved to answer the knocking on the door. An unfamiliar voice yelled from the other side just as he reached for the handle. 

“Let me in, Uzumaki!” 

Pulling open the door, Sasuke sent the man on the other side a glare. Standing outside the door was a large white dog at his side, and a man with a triangle tattooed on each cheek. The dog barked at Sasuke as he pinned the brown-haired man in place with a stare. 

“Who are you?” the man asked. Sasuke raised a dark brow. 

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?” The bathroom door slammed open, revealing Naruto in new clothes, his hair wet from his lightning fast shower. 

“Kiba, this is Sasuke, my new roommate. Sasuke, Kiba and Akamaru,” Naruto said, walking towards his bedroom once again. 

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted, moving out of the way to let the mutt and its owner into the apartment. 

“You ready to get totally smashed, Uzumaki?” Kiba called out to Naruto. The question was accented by Akamaru’s bark. Naruto froze in the doorway, his back facing his friend. Sasuke noted the fresh tension in the blond’s shoulders. 

“Uh. Sorry, Kibs. No drinking for me,” he said, staring down at the ground. 

“Yeah, right,” Kiba boomed. “You, not drinking? Since when?” 

Naruto didn’t say a word. He moved into his room, closing the door behind him as he sank to the floor. Why had they sent Kiba to get him instead of Shika? And how the hell was he going to get through this party? 

In the living room, Sasuke was glaring at the dog-owner. Kiba was staring at the closed door of Naruto’s bedroom, a confused look on his face. He turned to the black-haired man, clearly looking for an explanation. 

“Get out,” Sasuke spat. Kiba stumbled back at the sight of the death-stare the other man was giving him. 

“What?” 

“Get. Out.” 

“What’s going on? What’s wrong with Naruto?” 

Sasuke seethed.

“What’s  _ going on _ is that Naruto is trying to quit drinking, and you ridiculed him for it. Get out of my apartment.” 

Kiba was frozen, staring at Sasuke as if he’d grown a second head. 

“Naruto… quit drinking? W-why?” 

Sasuke ignored him, stalking towards him to push him into the hallway. Akamaru cowered as he came closer. 

“It’s okay, Sasuke.” 

The black-haired man halted in his tracks, turning toward Naruto, who stood in the doorway of his room. The blond sent him a thankful smile and turned to Kiba, the smile vanishing as he locked eyes with his friend. 

“Yeah, I quit. Just. Don’t ask.”

“Sorry, man,” Kiba replied, a guilty grimace on his face. “You still good to come to the party?” 

Naruto frowned. 

“Yeah, just don’t force liquor on me, and we’re good. It’s my party, after all.” 

Kiba grinned at his friend. 

“Happy birthday, dude.” Akamaru barked happily. 

Naruto nodded, then turned to his roommate. 

“Thank you, Sasuke.” His eyes showed the weight of his emotions. How grateful he was for Sasuke defending him, for trying to save him from Kiba’s pressures. The black-haired man shivered at the intensity of Naruto’s gaze. 

Sasuke wasn’t sure why he had done it, but the idea of someone trying to unravel all of Naruto’s hard work was unbearable. So he had jumped to his defense, determined to protect his friend without a second thought. 

As he watched Naruto follow Kiba and Akamaru out the door, Sasuke felt worry seep into his stomach. He had seen with his own eyes how reliant on alcohol the blond had been, and wondered if he could handle being around it. Sasuke seriously doubted it. 

Why had Naruto agreed to go? Sasuke couldn’t imagine that he would be having a good time at the party, surrounded by his drunk friends. But he pushed the thought away once again, attempting to ease his worries. 

Instead of lingering on it, Sasuke decided that the best time to make another cup of coffee was right about now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My poor babies are so hurt:( please let me know what you think! love y'all :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you're all doing well! 
> 
> IMPORTANT UPDATE: I just want to let you guys know that I'm not going to be able to upload on Monday like I usually do! My midterms are next week and I don't want to die, but I should be back by Friday. Anyway, enjoy!

The car ride to the party was uncomfortable, to say the least. Kiba kept looking away from the road to check on Naruto, who sat in silence stroking Akamaru’s fur, whose head was sticking between the front seats. After the umpteenth nervous glance from the brown-haired driver, Naruto snapped. 

“I’m fine, Inuzuka. Stop looking at me like I’m gonna jump out the window. You’re gonna kill us both,” he said, masking his discomfort behind a teasing grin. Kiba relaxed at the sight of his friend’s smile, his rigid grip on the steering wheel loosening slightly. 

When they finally pulled up in front of Kiba’s house, the party was already in full swing, and Naruto vaguely wondered how many people there knew it was for his birthday. The two of them climbed out of the car, and Kiba opened the door for Akamaru, who bolted towards the booming house as soon as he was released. 

Naruto snorted, watching the excited dog, trailed by his equally excited master. Kiba always seemed to get more elated the closer to alcohol he got. Everyone always called it his “Alcohol Proximity Sensor.” The thought made Naruto pause, a slight chill running down his back. 

He would be so close. Maybe he could just have a taste… He pinched his arm, snapping himself out of the destructive train of thought. Taking a deep breath, he moved to follow his friend, determined to hold himself to his word. 

_ I promise I’ll try.  _

Kakashi trusted him to keep that promise, and Naruto would do everything he could to earn that trust. 

He released the breath he’d been holding, and walked into his party.

* * *

The first thing Naruto noticed was that parties were louder when you were sober. The music pounded, people shouted, and he heard the distant shatter of glass hitting the floor. 

Usually, by this point in the night, Naruto had already had a few shots, and maybe a drink or two. This time, however, he was holding a plastic cup of water, sipping from it as he nervously watched his friends throw back shots of vodka. 

Shikamaru sat beside him, a beer in his hand as he eyed Naruto. The blond knew he was being analyzed, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 

“You quit this week,” Shikamaru said. It wasn’t a question, but Naruto nodded anyway. 

“I promised Kakashi,” he replied. 

“You and I both know that’s not the only reason.” 

Naruto didn’t respond. He took a sip from his cup, watching Kiba as he leaned into Hinata’s personal space. 

“What did Gaara do to Sakura?” 

“Nothing, as far as I know,” Naruto said with a shrug. “Why did you send Kiba to get me?” 

Shikamaru looked like he was about to say something, but a group of drunks appeared just in time to interrupt him. 

“Naruto! Happy birthday,” a blonde girl shouted happily. Choji and Tenten each tossed him a grin from their places beside her. 

“Thanks, Ino.” He smiled at her, forgetting his conversation with his friend. Ino had always been nice to him. She frowned as she looked at Naruto. 

“I’m mad at Sakura,” she slurred. 

Naruto looked up at her, a crease forming between his eyebrows. 

“Why?” he asked, confused. 

“Because she hurt you,” Ino replied, stumbling forwards to land between Naruto and Shikamaru. She nuzzled her head against the blond man’s arm. “You’re my friend too, Naruto.” 

Naruto smiled fondly at the girl, who was clearly very drunk. 

“Thanks, Ino. But you shouldn’t be mad at Sakura. I’m not,” he said, patting her head lightly. He felt Shikamaru’s eyes on him as he detangled his arm from Ino’s grip. “I’m gonna go get some more water.” He stood, walking away from his friends as they stared after him. 

In the kitchen, Naruto found himself surrounded by people he didn’t recognize. He once again wondered if any of these people knew who he was, and that this party was technically for  _ him.  _ Nevertheless, he was grateful to not have their attention on him as he filled his cup with tap water. As the clear liquid poured into the plastic, Naruto found himself wishing that liquid were something other than water.

The cup began to overflow, and a gentle hand landed on his lower back, returning him to reality. Naruto turned to lock eyes with the person who had pulled him from his thoughts. 

“N-Neji?” 

A soft smile crossed the man’s face, and Naruto launched himself into the long-haired man’s arms, dropping his cup into the sink. 

“What are you doing here?” Naruto asked, pulling away to look at his friend’s face. 

“I’m transferring to Konoha,” Neji said. “Hinata invited me to your party. Happy birthday, Naruto.” 

“H- Hinata did? How do you know Hinata? And—” Naruto’s thoughts were racing, both elated and confused to see Neji so suddenly. 

Neji lifted a delicate eyebrow and smirked. 

“Hinata is my cousin, Naruto. We share a surname, though I cannot say I’m surprised you didn’t notice. You never were very observant.” Naruto blushed. “I graduated from Suna last semester. When I heard from Hinata that you were here, I thought perhaps it was time for a change of scenery. I’ve missed you, Naruto.” 

The dark-haired man lifted a hand to Naruto’s blushing cheek, his pale eyes gazing into the blond’s dark blue. 

“Naruto!” A voice interrupted them, and an annoyed look passed over Neji’s face. The blond man jumped back, looking over at the doorway to find Rock Lee standing there. He offered a sheepish grin. 

“Hey Bushy Brow,” Naruto greeted. “What’s up?”

Lee marched over to him, a clear stumble in his step, then threw his arms around the blond. Naruto tried to lean back as Lee put his lips right up against his ear, but couldn’t escape the man’s death-grip on his shoulders. 

“I j-just want— ed to say… happy birthday, Naruto!” Naruto grimaced at the smell of liquor on Lee’s breath, but before he could respond, the black-haired man fell to the ground, fast asleep. 

Blue eyes widening, Naruto turned to look at Neji, who was staring at the sleeping man with a look of irritation and bewilderment. Suddenly, the blond burst into laughter, and the delightful sound echoed throughout the house.

* * *

The party-goers seemed to thrive off of Naruto’s happiness, and when his mood improved, so did the party. While he still drank water, his energy had increased ten-fold with the arrival of his childhood friend. It had been years since he last saw Neji, and his delight was contagious. 

Naruto had first met Neji about a year and a half after his parents’ death. He had been deep in grief, and Neji understood. The quiet nature of the other boy comforted Naruto in a way that no one else had. In return, Naruto’s rambunctious personality drew out Neji’s charming side. 

Whenever Jiraiya needed to travel to Ishigakure for his research, Naruto went to visit the one friend he’d ever made during his time touring the world. But after a few years of scattered friendship, Neji disappeared. Not having access to a consistent phone number or address, Naruto had been unable to contact him, and later found out that the Hyuuga family had moved. 

Naruto had been distraught, and once again felt alone in the world. The thought of visiting Neji had been the only thing to keep him going. After that, Naruto had to find something else to motivate him. And so he moved on, but there was always hope in the back of his mind that he would find Neji again one day. 

And now, Neji was here. Right in front of him. Telling him about his applications to Konoha University’s Law School, and everything he had done since their last meeting, almost a decade ago. 

“When my family moved to Suna, I wanted to tell you,” Neji said. “But I didn’t know how to reach you. That man you travelled with was never very good at staying in one place.” 

Naruto laughed in agreement. All of a sudden, another presence was at his side. 

“Hinata,” Naruto greeted cheerfully. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Neji?” 

Hinata blushed.

“S-sorry Naruto. Neji asked me to keep it a secret,” she said quietly. Neji flicked his hair over his shoulder, a smirk crossing his face as Naruto sent him a playful glare. 

Naruto was still smiling when a loud crash came from the living room. The three of them exchanged a look, then darted from the kitchen into the fray of the party. He was shocked as he took in the sight before him. 

Ino stood tall over a broken coffee table. The look on her face was pure rage and fury, her hands curled into fists at her side. In the rubble was a figure of a girl, and Naruto could make out a few strands of pink hair. 

Sakura Haruno lay in the splinters of the table, rubbing her cheek as she sat up, a tear rolling down the side of her face. She looked up at her best friend, regret written in her expression. 

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” Ino shouted, “after what you did to Naruto.” 

At that, Naruto jumped into action, and found himself standing between the two women, his back to Sakura as he addressed the blonde. 

“Ino, stop it,” he said calmly. The girl made an attempt to protest, but he lifted a hand and turned around, helping Sakura to her feet. The pink-haired girl gazed at him, confusion and conflict crossing her face as she took his hand. 

“Are you okay?” 

Sakura looked at the floor, giving a small nod as she dusted off her clothes. Her cheek was burning red from Ino’s punch, and Naruto knew it was going to bruise. He took her by the wrist, and pulled her into the kitchen. 

He handed her a frozen bag of peas, filling a new cup of water for himself as he listened to the distant sounds of Kiba discovering his broken coffee table. After a moment, Sakura broke the silence. 

“Why are you helping me, Naruto? I don’t deserve it,” she mumbled. 

“No one deserves to be treated badly. Including you.” 

Her green eyes filled with tears as she looked at her ex-boyfriend. 

“I’m so sorry, Naruto. Sasori— I— He— I thought he loved me,” she whispered. 

“You made a mistake,” Naruto said firmly. 

“Yeah,” she replied. Wet droplets hit the counter as she sniffed quietly. “I really did.” 

“It’s okay. Well— it’s not. But we didn’t really work anyway, did we?” 

Sakura sniffled once again, a wet chuckle slipping through her tears. 

“I guess you’re right. I’m still sorry, though.”

“I know, Sakura.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? I know, no Sasuke in this chapter:( but he's back in the next one, I promise! Please let me know your thoughts!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! I hope you've all had a better week than me! Midterms are hard:( but hey, they're done, and I've got a chapter for you! I hope you like it!

Sasuke was sipping his latest cup of coffee when he heard the sound of the door opening, followed by Naruto’s giggling as it slammed loudly behind him. Setting down his mug, he stood from his spot at the kitchen table and walked toward the noise. 

The blond was nestled against a man. A very attractive, gentle looking man, who gazed down at Naruto like he was sunshine itself. Naruto himself appeared to be exhausted, but coherent. Sasuke worried, but hoped that Naruto had been stronger than his father. 

Blue eyes slid at half-mast to look at Sasuke, and a smile crossed the tan face. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto mumbled. Sasuke felt a tug at the corner of his lips as he gazed at the tired man, but it quickly morphed into a glare as he glanced up at the man with his arms around the blond. 

“Naruto,” the long-haired man started. “Which bedroom is—”

“I can take him,” Sasuke interrupted. Naruto’s eyes shot open wide as he locked his gaze with Sasuke’s. 

“I’ll manage,” the other man said, his lips tightening as he stared coldly at the black-haired man. 

“Neji,” Naruto said quietly. “It’s okay, I’m good here.” 

Sasuke watched as the other two men exchanged a look. The man— Neji— seemed to be trying to argue silently, but Naruto clearly won in the end. Neji closed his pale eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, stepping away from the blond. 

“Text me tomorrow,” Naruto said, a soft smile creeping onto his face. “Thanks for tonight.” 

Neji nodded.

“Happy birthday, Naruto.” And with that, the man walked through the door, leaving a smiling Naruto and a glaring Sasuke in his wake. 

As the blond head turned back to face him, Sasuke felt the annoyance drain from his face, quickly replaced by concern. Naruto kicked his shoes off, but as he began to walk into the living room, he stumbled slightly, and Sasuke was there to catch him.

“Are you okay?” Sasuke asked, wrinkling his brow. He soon realized how close together their faces were as Naruto found his footing, and had to fight down an uncharacteristic blush. He couldn’t smell any alcohol on the other man’s breath, and breathed a sigh of relief at the discovery. 

“Yeah,” Naruto replied. “Sorry. M’tired.” 

Sasuke couldn’t bring himself to release his grip on the blond’s forearms, holding up the ruse of helping him with his balance. Naruto didn’t protest as he looked up at his roommate, though his face began to turn slightly pink. 

“Um, Sasuke.”

Sasuke lifted a delicate brow. The darkness of the night seemed to encourage the blond, as the question that came out of his mouth seemed to surprise them both.

“Why did you defend me to Kiba earlier?”

He wasn’t sure how to respond. He wasn’t sure he even knew the answer to that. 

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “It just happened. I didn’t think about it.” 

A trace of guilt hit him when Naruto’s brow began to furrow. He knew it was a non-answer, but what could he— 

“Okay,” Naruto said. 

“Okay?” Sasuke repeated. 

He felt Naruto nuzzle his face into his chest, pulling him closer into something resembling an embrace. Sasuke was frozen, his mind racing as the blond man cuddled closer to him.

“Thank you, Sasuke.” They were the same words from earlier, but this time, Sasuke couldn’t see Naruto’s emotion in his eyes, he could  _ feel  _ it. It was in the tightening muscles of his arms, and the warmth of his breath. Sasuke relaxed, feeling a fond smile begin to turn up his lips as he placed a hand on Naruto’s head. 

As they stood in the entrance to their apartment, Sasuke came to a devastating realization. 

He cared. About  _ Naruto _ .

* * *

When Naruto finally pulled away from Sasuke, the other man looked mildly mortified. Sending his roommate a sheepish grin, the blond stepped back a few paces, giving the raven room to think. 

Naruto wasn’t sure why he was so drawn to Sasuke. It was only earlier that afternoon that the surly man had allowed him to cry on his shoulder, and now Naruto felt like he may have broken through a wall. It may have only been a small hole in the concrete Sasuke had surrounding his heart, but things felt different somehow. Sasuke seemed… comfortable? Or maybe not  _ comfortable,  _ but certainly less  _ uncomfortable.  _ Naruto nearly laughed out loud at the expression on the other man’s face. 

Sasuke looked positively bewildered, and Naruto couldn’t remember seeing such acute emotion on his face since he met the man. After a moment of desperately holding his breath, a snicker passed his lips as he gazed at the confusion upon Sasuke’s delicate features. The next second, Naruto was doubled over as he wheezed through his choking laughter. Whenever he looked up, Sasuke seemed to have grown even more perplexed, which sent the blond into another spiral. When he finally managed to catch his breath, he continued to giggle through his explanation.

“You— your f-face,” he choked. “I’ve nev— never seen y-you look s-so— so st-stupid.” 

Sasuke’s face quickly morphed into an irritated glare, which caused another bout of laughter from Naruto. 

“S-sorry,” he cried, wiping a tear from his eye with the back of his hand. “I like seeing you like that.” 

A frown took over the raven’s face, crinkling the space between his brows. 

“Like what?” 

“Open.” 

Sasuke said nothing, unable to think of anything but the look in Naruto’s eyes as he had laughed. It was such a contrast from earlier, as the blond had sobbed into his shoulder. Now, he was not crying in distress, but in pure, unadulterated joy. Sasuke wondered what had changed since Naruto walked out of their apartment that afternoon. 

When they both went to bed later that night, they silently watched one another from across the living room as they closed their doors behind them. 

When Sasuke awoke the next morning, he noticed immediately that he had slept through the whole night for the first time in the better part of a decade.

* * *

Naruto heard the knock as he shuffled around the kitchen, preparing his and Sasuke’s morning coffee. His roommate had not yet emerged from his bedroom, but the blond was determined to greet him with a smile and his favorite drink. 

Glancing at the pot as it brewed, Naruto jogged over to the front door, pulling it open to reveal his red-headed best friend. 

“Hey, Gaara,” he cheered. “What’s up?” 

Gaara stared him down with a piercing glare, which Naruto took in stride as a fond gesture from the moody man. He pushed his way into the apartment, making his way toward the kitchen, following the smell of coffee drifting through the room. 

“How are you feeling, Naruto?” 

The question was obviously heavier than it sounded on the surface, and Naruto smiled at the weight of Gaara’s affection. 

“I’m good,” he replied. Gaara gave him a look. “It was… better. This year. Not good, but… better.” He poured three mugs of coffee and passed one to his friend, picking up the other two and walking to Sasuke’s door. He knocked gently, and pushed inside without waiting for a response. 

Sasuke lay on his bed, his eyes closed, and a peaceful calm on his face as he slept. The blond smiled lightly as he watched his roommate for a moment, taking in the sight of his beautiful, relaxed friend. After a few seconds, he delicately placed one of the coffee mugs on the end table, and retreated to the living room, closing the door behind him. 

Gaara was giving him an expectant look when he reached the kitchen, sipping on his coffee as he lifted a hairless brow. 

“Your new roommate?” 

Naruto nodded, a fond smile flitting across his lips. He thought of the way he’d left Sasuke, and hoped the man was sleeping well. 

“You like him,” Gaara said plainly. Naruto’s blue eyes widened and he snapped his head to look at the red-head. The man’s expression didn’t change, simply assessing Naruto as he processed the statement. 

“I mean— I don’t—” 

“Why are _ you  _ here?” 

Sasuke’s voice echoed through the room from his position in his bedroom doorway. He was glaring at Gaara, his coffee mug gripped tight in his hand. 

Naruto glanced back and forth between his two friends, and he swore there were sparks flying in the air between their fiery glares. 

“Do— Do you know each other?” he asked, bewildered. 

“No,” the two of them said in unison. 

“Uh, are you sure?” 

“Yes,” they said. 

Naruto shifted his weight uncomfortably, confusion lacing his expression as he watched his friends’ wordless exchange. 

“Naruto,” Gaara said, cutting through the loud silence. Naruto looked at the red-head questioningly. “Let’s go to the ring.” 

Sasuke’s glare did not soften as Gaara moved closer to the blond, throwing an arm around him as he casually sipped his coffee. Naruto hesitated, his gaze shifting to Sasuke. 

“Do you… want to come with?” he found himself offering. Gaara’s green eyes widened marginally at the request, recognizing the true weight of the question. 

Sasuke’s glare froze in place, and Naruto could practically see the gears turning in his head. Eventually, the man’s death-grip on his coffee mug loosened, and the glare began to soften. Locking black eyes with blue, Sasuke took a deep breath. 

“I— No.” 

Naruto’s face fell, and he nodded dejectedly. He patted Gaara’s shoulder, and moved to his bedroom. Gaara sent the black-haired man a piercing glare, and had Sasuke been anyone else, he’d have flinched. The door slammed behind Naruto, and Sasuke felt his heart twist. When Gaara spoke, his words to Sasuke were biting.

“You have no idea what you’ve just done.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank you guys for being so supportive of this story:) your comments always make me so happy, and I swear I get an adrenaline rush every time I hear from one of you! So, thank you for that! Please let me know what you're thinking about the story so far!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a couple days late, I was having some ~writer's block~ and was struggling. But anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Sasuke glared at his computer screen, once again trying to convince himself to respond to Orochimaru’s email.

After getting his mind under control, he began typing a few sentences, but found himself deleting them over and over again. With every version he wrote, Sasuke found something wrong with it, and deleted the draft. 

He knew he had no choice. He had no other leads on Itachi’s whereabouts, and Orochimaru’s offer seemed… relatively harmless. It was only one dinner, and yet Sasuke struggled to reconcile his disgust with his thoughts. 

Finally, he wrote a respectful reply and sent it before he could change his mind, a shudder running over his back as he slammed the laptop shut. 

As he pushed away his waves of anxiety about the dinner with the creepy old man, Sasuke found his head filling with memories from just hours ago. 

_ You like him.  _

The words echoed through Sasuke’s head, bouncing against every corner as he tried to dissect their meaning. When he had entered the living room to find Naruto with the red-headed man he’d met in the Psychology building just a week ago, he had felt an unfamiliar form of rage fill his chest, and had been unable to stop himself from questioning the tattooed man. 

If only he had been able to hold back and find out what Naruto was going to say. Who was the man talking about when he told Naruto that? What about Naruto’s girlfriend? Questions flitted through Sasuke’s mind, and guilt pulled at his heart as he remembered the look on Naruto’s face when he had rejected his invitation. 

_ You have no idea what you’ve just done.  _

Sasuke felt a painful tug in his chest, a flicker of blue eyes flashing before him as he curled his hands into fists. He kicked the wall and lifted the lid of his laptop once more, pulling up his browser as he glowered through the pull in his chest. 

Before he could do as much as register his actions, he had already typed the name in the search bar. 

_ Naruto Uzumaki. _

* * *

Naruto sat on the bench in the locker room, wrapping his hands in white tape as Gaara watched him, his lined eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

“You’re upset,” he growled. 

“No,” Naruto replied, his voice cracking slightly under his friend’s harsh gaze. He winced, hoping Gaara hadn’t heard, but the red-head’s green eyes turned to slits as he scrutinized his best friend. 

“You are.” 

The blond said nothing, gazing down at his hands as he continued to wind the tape around his knuckles. 

“Why did you invite him?” 

“I don’t know,” Naruto said. “Just forget it.” 

“You obviously care for him,” Gaara argued. 

“I said forget it, Gaara,” he snapped. The other man lifted a brow, surprised by Naruto’s uncharacteristically short temper. Guilt quickly filled the blue eyes, and his shoulders slumped as he mumbled an apology. 

“I know you better than you think, you know.” Naruto’s eyes widened, and he snapped his gaze up to meet Gaara’s. “You pretend so often that sometimes I believe that you even forget yourself, but you’re allowed to be sad, Naruto. You don’t have to be happy all the time.” 

The blond’s head dropped, hiding his eyes as he pushed himself to his feet, sliding past Gaara as he walked into the gym. Instead of walking to their usual boxing ring, Naruto found himself in front of a punching bag. Determined not to think about the day he’d had, he started his routine, training his body while he ignored the turmoil in his mind. He felt Gaara’s watchful gaze upon his back as he threw punch after punch at the bag. Eventually, the red-head wandered off to the opposite side of the gym, and Naruto dropped his hands to his sides, tears of frustration dropping to the floor as he ground his teeth. 

After he had finally worked his body into exhaustion, Naruto allowed himself to slump to the floor, leaning his back against the wall as he stared out at the remainder of the gym. He watched Kakashi, instructing a class of preteens on how to throw a proper punch, and Iruka, smiling at a small child who kicked up at him with all his might. Gaara had disappeared, and Naruto felt another wave of guilt flood through him, and he wished he hadn’t ignored his friend. 

When Kakashi’s class ended, the silver-haired man walked over to Naruto, sliding down the wall to sit beside him. 

“What happened?” he asked. 

“Nothing,” Naruto mumbled, looking away. 

“There’s a reason you’re usually so honest,” Kakashi said. “You’re a terrible liar.” 

Naruto didn’t answer, biting his lip as he picked at the tape on his hands. 

“Spar with me,” the older man said. Perking up slightly as a burst of energy hit him, the blond man picked up his gloves and followed Kakashi into the ring. 

After a moment, the two of them lost themselves in the fight, and Naruto found himself grinning with every dodge, and with every hit he landed. By the time Kakashi locked Naruto in a headlock, the blond was giggling, uselessly flailing his arms behind him. Suddenly, he dropped all of his weight towards the floor, surprising the older man into dropping his grip, then he swung out and clocked Kakashi across the side of his jaw. 

“Ugh, you’re getting better,” the silver-haired man muttered as he pulled his gloves off, rubbing his chin. “Unpredictable knucklehead.” 

“Maybe you’re just getting old.” 

The man scowled at him, opening his mouth to respond when Iruka’s cheerful laugh echoed through the gym, and Kakashi’s furrowed eyebrows softened at the sound. He turned to locate his boyfriend, a smile shifting the fabric of his mask as his dark eyes landed on the brown-haired man, who stood just outside of the ring. 

Naruto felt a sense of pride swell in his chest as he looked between two of his favorite people, knowing he was responsible, at least in part, for their happiness. The professor leaned over the barrier which surrounded the ring, talking softly to Iruka as the brown-haired man ran his hand through Kakashi’s sweaty hair.

Pulling his gloves off, Naruto climbed out of the ring, stalking toward the locker rooms, but turned when Iruka called out to him. Kakashi stood beside him, an arm over his shoulder as Iruka looked at the blond earnestly. 

“Come over for dinner,” Iruka insisted. “We didn’t get to celebrate your birthday with you yet.” 

Naruto halted in his tracks, watching the two older men as they offered him inviting smiles. Or in Kakashi’s case, an inviting shift of fabric.

The thought of returning to his apartment, to Sasuke’s cold disinterest and steady glares sounded… undesirable, to say the least. So, before his brain could catch up, he found himself nodding, a friendly grin crossing his face as he turned away, moving to shower and change.

* * *

Sasuke could feel his anxiety growing as the windows grew darker and darker, and Naruto did not return. His laptop rested on the coffee table, the screen fading to black while the man glared into the void, pretending not to listen for the sound of the door. 

The research that Sasuke had done on Naruto had been largely fruitless, though he did discover that the blond held an editor’s credit for several of Jiraiya Sannin’s mystery novels. That small piece of information had surprised him, as Sannin’s writing style was eloquent, and Naruto was anything but. He was unsure what to make of the idea that Naruto, of all people, had something to do with his favorite books.

Curling his fingers into the soft fabric of the couch cushion, Sasuke felt a frown begin to take over his face, furrowing his dark eyebrows. Where was he? Had Naruto somehow gotten himself hurt? 

No.  _ Sasuke  _ had been the one who hurt him. 

The thought stunned him, his hand unclenching as the regret and guilt once again crushed his stomach. As he attempted to swallow his emotions, the front door clicked open, signalling Naruto’s long awaited return. Sasuke stood quickly, his head tilted toward the floor, clenching his hands into fists once again as he tried to force the words from his mouth. 

Silence. 

The quiet rustling of Naruto removing his shoes was deafening, and Sasuke felt a muscle in his jaw twitch in protest as he made an effort to wrench his mouth open. Without a word, the blond’s presence brushed past the couch. Sasuke hesitantly reached out a pale hand to stop him, keeping his gaze firmly on the ground, but the door had already closed, shutting him out. 

Unreasonable as it was, Sasuke felt a wave of anger run across his spine, and before he could stop it, he was banging on Naruto’s door, just seconds after it had clicked shut.

“What do you want?” Naruto asked through the wood. Sasuke rested his forehead against the door, his breath hitching at the sound of the other man’s voice. 

“Can… Can we talk?” He cringed at the sound of his own voice, at the hesitancy and fear lacing through it. Naruto didn’t answer for a moment, but soon Sasuke felt himself stumbling forward slightly as the door was pulled open. 

“What is it? I’ll do the dishes tomorrow morning, I promise,” the blond said exasperatedly. 

“I don’t care about the dishes,” the raven-haired man snapped. Naruto’s bravado disappeared in a flash, his blue eyes turning sad as he gazed at Sasuke. “That guy—”

“Gaara,” Naruto interrupted. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, but nodded. 

“Gaara said that… he said that you like someone,” Sasuke stuttered, his anger fading rapidly. The blue eyes widened, and his tan cheeks began to turn pink with embarrassment. 

“Um. Gaara kind of… exaggerates. I just got out of a relationship,” Naruto explained, his eyes flickering away from Sasuke’s penetrating gaze. The black-haired man felt a strange feeling fill his chest at those words, a warmth spreading through his stomach. 

“I— uh… that’s too bad,” the man said unconvincingly. The blond smiled softly, the irritation fading out of his expression.

“Nah,” he said, a slight wistfulness in his voice. “She cheated on me, so really not that much of a loss. Can’t believe I liked her for so long, honestly.” 

“Oh,” Sasuke replied, unsure of what to say. 

“Is… is that all you wanted to talk to me about?” 

“I… I just wanted to…” 

Sasuke tried to force the apology out of his mouth once again, but something stopped it. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Frustrated with his body’s uncooperative nature, he found himself turning his back on the blond, tossing a different set of words behind him as he walked away. 

“Never mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( please let me know how you're all doing! And of course, what you thought of the chapter! Thank you for reading!!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry I skipped Monday's upload. I was getting behind on everything, including this, so I really needed the extra time to catch up. Thanks for your patience<3 as well as for your lovely comments, you all make my day. Enjoy!

Naruto’s dinner with Kakashi and Iruka had been… enlightening. 

While the brown-haired man and his boyfriend cooked in the kitchen, aprons wrapped around their waists, Naruto sat on a breakfast stool, contemplating his scattered emotions. His behavior around Sasuke was… odd. He knew this, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to act any differently. 

He found himself being more open with Sasuke than he was with Gaara, or even Kakashi. And Kakashi had been in his life since before his parents’ deaths, always there as a babysitter, or a shoulder to cry on when Naruto was upset. This man, who Naruto had known for just two months, came in and threw open the doors to his heart. 

Since his parents’ deaths, Naruto had become a master at hiding his pain from those around him, with a few exceptions. With Sasuke, none of his usual tricks worked. He ended up dropping the mask after just a word from the raven. 

“You’re very quiet,” Iruka had mentioned. Naruto’s head snapped up, a deer in headlights as he looked at the two older men, whose green and blue aprons stood out against the white of the kitchen. 

“Sorry,” Naruto replied, a startled grin taking over his face. “Thinking.” 

“Oh dear,” Kakashi sighed, “it must be really bad then. Poor thing, straining yourself like that.” 

The blond stared at him blankly, the fake smile slowly falling away. Iruka noted the sarcasm and swatted the other man on the arm lightly, scolding him with a side eye. The silver-haired professor pressed his face against the other man’s, kissing his cheek through his mask. Iruka brushed him off and went to serve the food, passing Naruto a plate. He ruffled the younger boy’s yellow hair fondly as he shuffled past him to sit down at the table. 

As the three of them dug into their meal, Naruto found it difficult to eat past his first few bites. Admittedly, he’d been feeling better in the midst of his sparring match with Kakashi, but the distraction was gone, and the pain had returned with a vengeance. 

“Naruto,” Iruka called, snapping him out of his daze. “You need to eat.” 

The caring look in his brown eyes was clear, but so was the worry. The blond tried to smile at him, but it turned into a grimace as it reached his face. Even Kakashi seemed to be growing concerned as the deafening silence continued. 

Finally forcing himself to resume the act, Naruto started to chatter nervously, taking small bites of his dinner between bouts of pointless babbling. When they finished their meals, Naruto dropped his plate off in the sink and moved to pull his shoes on for a quick escape, but Iruka’s voice called out to stop him. 

“Naruto,” he started, “can we talk to you before you go?” 

Kakashi sat next to him on the couch, a book up to his nose as he pretended to ignore the conversation. Iruka patted the spot on his other side, which Naruto hesitantly sat in, huddling into the far corner of the couch.

The older man gazed at him, concern wracking his face. 

“What’s wrong, Naru?” 

“Nothing, why?” Naruto replied instinctually. Kakashi didn’t look up from his novel, but lifted an eyebrow at the page.

“Don’t lie, Naruto. It doesn’t suit you, and you’re not very good at it,” Iruka scolded. “I’ll ask again: what’s wrong?” 

The blond let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping forward as he curled his legs up to his chest. 

“I just… I invited Sasuke to come to the ring today.” 

With that, Kakashi’s book slammed closed, and disappeared from sight. The man narrowed his eyes, his full attention on Naruto. 

“He didn’t want to come?” 

“I— I guess not. I shouldn’t be so— so upset, but—” 

“Did you explain? Or did your hotheaded—”

“Quiet, Kashi,” Iruka snapped. The silver-haired man clicked his jaw closed, obedient only to his boyfriend. “Naruto, did this person know what the ring means to you?” 

“N-no,” Naruto stuttered. “I know I shouldn’t… He just makes no sense.” 

He watched Kakashi’s eyes narrow as the conversation ended, and found himself worried for Sasuke’s grade in the professor’s literature class. Naruto weakly hoped the man was more professional than that. 

When he’d returned to the apartment late that night, and he’d found Sasuke waiting on the couch, Naruto had hoped to retreat to his bed and hide from the world. But the other man had knocked on the door, he had seemed… nervous? Scared? He wasn’t sure, and the interaction had only confused Naruto further. He’d been sure that Sasuke had more to say, but… 

Naruto rubbed his hands over his face, falling onto his bed with a frustrated sigh. He hoped desperately that he could find some sort of peace in the darkness of sleep.

* * *

Sasuke found himself once again rubbing his injured foot, scolding his body for betraying him and kicking the leg of his desk. Why was it so difficult to apologize to Naruto? His pride was far more hurt by Itachi’s betrayal than by a simple apology, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. 

When Naruto had mentioned that he and his girlfriend had broken up, Sasuke had been… happy? Relieved, maybe? Either way, it was not an emotion one should feel when a friend mentions a break up. 

Wait.  _ Friend? _

When did Sasuke start referring to Naruto as a “friend?” He had never had one before, and yet he had slipped so easily into calling the blond his friend. 

Deciding that he didn’t know enough about the human mind to dissect his own emotions, Sasuke tried to think about anything other than Naruto, and failed spectacularly. The rest of the night, his dreams were haunted by images of the blond, and the sound of his voice echoed through his mind. 

When he woke the next morning, he was no better rested than he had been the night before. Plucking his phone off the charger, he pulled open his email to discover a response to the email he’d sent the day before. The email contained a day, a time, and a location, along with a request to confirm that he was available. A shiver ran through Sasuke’s body, but he forced himself to respond agreeably after checking his work schedule. 

Tomorrow, he would be eating dinner with Orochimaru. Dread filled him whenever he thought of the old man, and the idea of eating with him made Sasuke sick to his stomach. He worried that he might be unable to dine in the other man’s presence. Sasuke only hoped that he could make it through the dinner without his fight or flight instincts kicking in. This wasn’t about him. This was about Itachi. 

Walking into the kitchen, Sasuke hurriedly started the coffee, praying the pot would finish before Naruto emerged from his bedroom. He had just managed to pour the two mugs of coffee, turning away from the counter to bring one to the blond, as he had done for Sasuke the day before when the door creaked open. The black-haired man froze, a steaming mug of caffeine in each hand as he locked his black eyes on blue. 

Naruto startled slightly at the sight, but found the will to approach the other man, a hesitant smile creeping across his face. Sasuke looked away, locking his eyes on a spot on the wall. 

“Is that for me?” the blond asked, gesturing at one of the coffee cups.

“No,” Sasuke snapped instinctively. He looked back at Naruto’s face, feeling his heart stutter as the smile began to fade. “I mean— this one is for you.” With that, he shoved the other cup into Naruto’s hand, the knot in his chest loosening as the blond’s smile returned. 

Naruto set his mug on the counter beside Sasuke, his eyes never leaving his roommate’s face. The raven had yet to move, his eyes flickering between Naruto and the wall behind him. The blond man leaned closer to Sasuke, a soft smile gracing his handsome face. 

“Apology accepted,” he whispered, taking in the sight of Sasuke’s rare blush. The black-haired man tilted his face toward the floor, attempting to hide his embarrassment, but Naruto stopped his chin with a strong hand. Their faces were only inches apart, and Sasuke could feel his pulse pounding throughout his entire body. 

A moment passed, and there was a crash, and a howl, and then came the pain. 

“ _ Fuck,”  _ Naruto hissed. 

Taking in the sight of brown liquid mixing with shattered porcelain, Sasuke realized that he had just dumped his coffee over the both of them. He felt his cheeks heat, and tiptoed out of the danger zone, pulling Naruto out of the puddle behind him. Grimacing through the burning sensation against his skin, Sasuke locked his eyes with Naruto’s bright blues, and the blond began to laugh. 

The sound had become one of Sasuke’s favorite things in the world, and he felt a light chuckle slip past his lips to join the delightful melody of Naruto’s laugh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> N'awww they're precious:) tell me what you thought!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, what a week, guys, amirite? Yeah sorry I'm late again, I underestimated how stressful the election would be, but I am in a much better mood than I have been in for years:) So I have a new chapter for you guys! Hope you like cute shit, enjoy<3333

His socks were soaked with lukewarm black coffee, and Naruto was giggling, watching Sasuke as he laughed at their situation. The blond was overjoyed to see a smile on the other man’s face. It was a new experience to see the black-haired boy so relaxed, and Sasuke himself seemed to be surprised by his reaction. 

Naruto gazed at the other man as the soft smile changed his face from a cold mask into a masterpiece of beauty. Suddenly, he was unsure how he hadn’t noticed before how gorgeous Sasuke was. It seemed so obvious now. 

The way the light in the kitchen reflected off Sasuke’s pale skin made him look like he was glowing, and his hair was dark as pitch, yet it still shimmered when he moved. His features were delicate, and yet he was masculine. Naruto’s breath was taken away, his giggles fading to nothing as he continued to stare at his flawless roommate. 

Sasuke’s face hardened into its usual mask as he turned to Naruto. He raised a questioning eyebrow as the blond failed to react. 

“What?” the raven asked sharply. 

Naruto jolted out of his daze a stuttering mess.

“S-sorry, I-I j-just was—” He shook his head, trying to regain control over himself. “Nothing.” 

The dark brow stayed lifted, but Sasuke eventually shrugged and moved to the cupboard. As he emerged, he threw a rag and a broom at Naruto, tossing him a smirk as they hit him on the chest. 

“You made me drop it,” he said, “so you get to clean it up.” 

And with that, Sasuke returned to the kitchen counter, pulling a new mug out of the cabinet and filling it with coffee. Naruto stared at him blankly, his jaw hanging open as he watched the raven sip his steaming drink. 

“You bastard,” Naruto mumbled, bending to pick up the shattered glass from the floor. 

Across the room, standing on the other side of the counter, Sasuke was preoccupied with slowing his pounding heart. He had only just discovered that he cared for Naruto at all, but these were… more than  _ friendly  _ feelings. He sipped at his coffee, rigidly keeping his eyes away from the blond, who was crouched down over the cooling puddle of coffee, his pants tightly gripping his thighs as he placed shards of porcelain in a plastic bag.

When the floor was dry once again, Naruto removed his stained socks and threw them directly into the trash can, grinning at Sasuke as he glanced down at the other man’s feet. Sasuke quickly realized that he’d been standing in the kitchen in coffee-soaked socks, and felt blood rush to his cheeks as he toed them off, following Naruto’s lead in tossing them in the garbage. 

Chugging the remnants of his hot coffee, Sasuke retreated to his bedroom, embarrassed by his reactions to Naruto. A few hours of sulking later, the sound of the front door slamming shut pulled the raven from his room. The living room was empty, and Naruto’s bedroom door was hanging open, the lights off and the room abandoned. 

Sasuke dropped onto the couch and buried his face in his hands with a sigh. It had been such a strange day, and it was still entirely too early.

* * *

“Where the hell have you  _ been?”  _

Shizune began shouting at him the moment Naruto walked into the bar’s kitchen. He bowed his head, mumbling an apology and flashing her his baby blue eyes through his lashes as she began to settle down. 

“Ugh,” she sighed. “You’re lucky that Miss Tsunade vouched for you for this job. Don’t disappear like that again, or you’re out of luck. Got it?” 

“Thank you, Shizune,” Naruto exclaimed, bounding into her arms and smothering her with a hug. She pushed him away, brushing off her shirt and giving him a fond smile. 

“Get to work, brat.” 

At her word, Naruto jumped into action, standing beside one of his coworkers at the grill. The man jostled him with his elbow, giving him a questioning look through his dark shades as he flipped a burger.

“Rough week?” Shino spoke very little, but Naruto considered him his best work friend. Despite occasionally forgetting the other man’s name when he hadn’t seen him for a while. 

“Yeah,” Naruto responded. 

“Would you like to get a drink after work?” 

The blond froze, spatula in hand. 

“Uh… That’s kind of why I had a rough week actually. I kinda… quit drinking,” he explained. Shino nodded in acknowledgement, returning to work without a thought. Naruto was relieved at the man’s reaction. Shino’s ability to simply accept the situation was refreshing, especially after his other friends’ endless questions and stares. 

The rest of the shift was quiet, peaceful even. When he left, he patted Shino on the shoulder on the way out, satisfied with the companionable silence they had shared for the past several hours. He climbed into his car with a sigh, thinking of the day he’d had. 

The interaction he’d had with Sasuke that morning had been odd. The heat he had felt in his cheeks and the pit of his stomach when he got close to the other man was different from anything he’d felt before. As he started his car, his face began to warm once again while he pictured the light bouncing off Sasuke’s dark hair, and he imagined the way his pale skin might look in the moonlight. 

The thoughts didn’t falter, even as he pulled into the parking lot outside their apartment, even as he climbed the stairs, even as he unlocked the door. The image of Sasuke’s smile burned into his mind as he pushed into their apartment, taking in the sight of their empty living room. He sighed at the loneliness that hit him when he saw Sasuke’s closed door. Naruto removed his shoes, dropped his bag, and headed straight for the shower, eager to wash away the multitude of sauces he was covered in. 

When he emerged, scrubbing his yellow hair with an orange towel, another wrapped around his waist, he locked his sights on the pair of amber eyes, connected to an irritated looking blonde woman. 

“G-Granny Tsunade?” he stuttered, clutching his towel to his chest in surprise. Sasuke sat on the sofa, looking between the two blonds in the room. 

“Brat,” the woman greeted. “You have some explaining to do.” 

“Wha—” 

“Put on some clothes, Idiot,” Sasuke interrupted, his dark eyes locked firmly on a spot on the wall behind Naruto’s head, his cheeks slightly pink. 

Tsunade lifted a challenging eyebrow, curious about this new roommate. When he’d opened the door, she had sworn he looked familiar, but she simply couldn’t place him. 

Naruto scurried to his bedroom, hurriedly throwing on an orange tee-shirt and sweatpants. He returned to the living room in a panicked daze, thrown off by the arrival of his godmother. 

“D-do you want something to drink?” he asked her hesitantly.

“Sake, if you’ve got it,” Tsunade replied with her brow still raised. She was still standing in the middle of the living room, but Sasuke had disappeared, off to hide in his room once again. 

“Uh… no, sorry. I have,” he opened the fridge, “water. And water. Or water.” 

The woman was surprised, accustomed to her godson’s affection for liquor— something the two of them had in common. 

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Where did you disappear to? Shizune called me and said you had missed a few shifts.”

Naruto closed the refrigerator door slowly, taking a deep breath while pouring himself a glass of water. 

“I was,” he said, not turning to look at the blonde woman,“sick.”

“You and I both know you never get sick, brat.”

“I was,” he insisted. “I… was in withdrawal.” 

Her amber eyes widened at the revelation. 

“Brat,” she scowled. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have come to check on you sooner. How are you feeling now?”

She placed the back of a hand against his forehead, taking in his appearance.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, pulling away from her tending. “I just got back from work.” 

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him. Assured of his good health, she smacked him upside the head, releasing her frustration at his sudden absence. Naruto yelped, jumping away from the woman as she stared down at him. He always managed to forget how intimidating Tsunade could be when she wanted. 

Her heels clicked on the tile as she stalked into the kitchen, pulling out a bag of ingredients out of the fridge, everything needed to make her signature ramen. 

“Sit down,” she ordered. “If you won’t tell me when you’re sick, you’ll deal with me taking care of you now.” 

Naruto grinned at the woman, sitting at the table as he watched her chop the vegetables and prepare the broth with precision and skill. He thanked the gods that this woman was in his life, and that she had opened his eyes to his passion. 

When she set the bowl that Jiraiya had given him on the table, he felt a sense of warmth fill his whole body. The soft smile that crossed the woman’s face was unseen by Naruto, but from across the room, Sasuke watched as the two blonds enjoyed each others’ presence. 

The black-haired man felt a knot of jealousy in his chest, and his throat began to tighten as he recalled the same expression on his own mother’s face, over a decade ago. He closed the door and heaved a sigh, dropping his forehead against the wood as he choked back his tears. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lil bbs are so cute omg. How y'all doing? Let me know what you think!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! how have you all been holding up? I know I've only been posting once a week lately. I'm sorry:( school is getting a little nuts, so I haven't had as much time or energy to write this lately. But I've got a chapter for you guys! I hope you enjoy!

Naruto pushed the car door closed, waving through the window at Tsunade as she started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. He let out a relieved sigh as she turned a corner and disappeared from sight, and he began turning around to trudge back up the stairs to the apartment. 

When he reached the door, he found himself hesitating, with his key pressed into the lock. His family continued to drop in, surprising Sasuke, and Naruto cringed at the thought that it could upset the other man. Maybe he should ask about it. If Sasuke didn’t like it, Naruto might be able to make time to see Granny Tsunade at her place, though it would be difficult. Kakashi and Iruka would see him at the gym, and Gaara was prone to simply appearing in front of him whenever he was needed. 

Nodding determinedly, he turned the key in the lock, pushing into the apartment to find it deserted, Sasuke’s bedroom door still tightly shut. He sighed again, his blue eyes locked on the closed door as he toed off his shoes, allowing the front door to slam behind him. 

A few moments later, a head of shiny black hair appeared in the crack of the door, and Naruto felt blood rush to his cheeks as Sasuke’s dark eyes met his own. The other man let out a grunt and retreated back behind the safety of the door, closing it without a word. 

A moment passed, and Naruto realized he hadn’t moved a muscle, his tan face still cherry red and warm with embarrassment. Deciding the day had been strange enough already, he locked himself into his own bedroom, tossing himself onto his bed with yet another sigh. 

He fell asleep almost immediately, but his last thought was that he could still smell coffee in the air as darkness took over.

* * *

Sasuke was feeling slightly nauseous as he stared at the two ties on his bed. He had agreed to meet Orochimaru at a local restaurant in just under an hour, so he needed to make a decision quickly. 

Tie or no tie? If yes tie, which tie? The plain black tie was good for any occasion, but the navy blue had always been his favorite. But was a tie too much for a dinner like this? It was sort of a business meeting, so perhaps a tie was for the best. 

His stomach swirled as he picked up the plain black tie and looped it around his neck. His anxiety had been growing steadily since he sent the email agreeing to go, and now, at the penultimate moment, Sasuke was beginning to feel panic set in. He knew his tie was crooked as he walked out of his bedroom, but his hands were shaking too much to do anything about it.

Naruto’s door was hanging wide open, signaling that the other man was not in the apartment. 

Part of Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief at that fact, that the blond was not present to witness his agitation. But another part of him wished that Naruto was there to be the steady, comforting presence he always managed to be when Sasuke needed it. He wanted to see that grin that his friend always shared with him, never worried about receiving one in return. Even to see him at all in that moment would have felt like a weight lifted from Sasuke’s shoulders. 

Horrified with his own train of thought, Sasuke straightened his tie and marched through the door, slamming it behind him with a huff. 

_ Itachi.  _

This dinner was the only thing that stood between Sasuke and finding his brother. 

As he exited the building, he felt the cool, fall air hit his face, and was instantly reminded that his first semester of university was already almost halfway over. The scent of decaying leaves filled his nose, and he breathed some of the tension out of his body. 

When Sasuke arrived at the restaurant, an expensive looking Asian place called Hebi, he held onto a grain of hope that Orochimaru had not yet arrived. He was a few minutes early, and had been planning to use them to calm his nerves. The hostess guided him to a table when he offered the old man’s name, and he was frustrated to see a curtain of black hair and snakelike eyes gazing up at him. 

Swallowing his anxiety, Sasuke sat opposite Orochimaru, greeting him with a nod. 

“My dear Sasuke,” he hissed. “How  _ lovely  _ to see you again.”

“Orochimaru.” 

The old man’s eyes were locked on Sasuke, who forced himself to not squirm under the intense gaze. His hand gripped the seat of his chair as he looked down at the menu, not really reading it. When their waiter arrived to take their drink orders, Sasuke could only shake his head and ask for water, carefully keeping his expression neutral. 

“You look so like Itachi,” Orochimaru said as the waiter walked away. “It’s quite stunning. I do wish I could see him more often, but sadly, when he graduated he became so busy. Such a disappointment.” 

He said this all with a sly smirk on his face, and Sasuke felt a slight shiver run up his spine. Whenever Orochimaru talked about Itachi, he sounded… enticed. 

“Have you contacted him yet?” Sasuke asked bluntly as the waiter placed their drinks on the table. 

“Indeed. I am afraid he has yet to respond to my email, but he  _ is  _ always working.”

“So why are we here, then?” the younger man snapped. “Since you don’t know anything.”

Orochimaru’s smile didn’t move. Sasuke glared at the man, and when the waiter returned, he looked uncomfortable. When he asked if they needed more time, Sasuke simply picked the first item his eyes caught on the menu and ordered it, continuing to scowl at the old man across from him. When the waiter left, Orochimaru finally spoke. 

“I have some…  _ interest  _ in you. As I did in your brother when he was my pupil.” Orochimaru flicked a long strand of hair off his shoulder. “I have something of a… proposition for you. But that can wait for now. I would like to know more about you.” 

With that, the man began to interrogate Sasuke, and the younger man did his best to dodge each question thrown at him. Their food arrived just as Sasuke was avoiding a question about his relationship with his father, and he picked up his chopsticks immediately. He shoved a bite of food into his mouth quickly, hopeful that the meal would distract the older man from his inquisition. He began to feel as if he was in the midst of an intense workout, jumping over each obstacle as they approached. 

Unfortunately, a few bites in, Orochimaru set down his chopsticks and looked up at Sasuke, a hand under his chin as the younger man swallowed his food down along with his nerves. 

“As for my proposition,” the older man started, “I would like for you to come work for me.” 

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, confused. 

“But I’m not a Psychology major,” he replied, certain that would change the old man’s view of the situation. 

“Irrelevant,” Orochimaru said. “It has little to do with my research. I am looking for an assistant. You would be doing work similar to my dearest secretary, Kabuto. I only ask that you answer phone calls and the like.” 

Something about this offer sounded too… innocent. Orochimaru had gone to the trouble of asking Sasuke to dinner, simply to offer him a desk job? It seemed unlikely at best. 

“I have a job,” Sasuke answered simply. 

“Yes, that sad little bookstore, with that sad little girl. How she must irritate you,” Orochimaru responded coolly, his chilling smirk never wavering. 

Sasuke’s head jerked up at the words. How had the man known where he worked? He was certain he’d never mentioned it. And he even knew about Karin.

“I will pay you far more than that runt of a shop ever could. And I will be able to investigate further into the matter of Itachi. With your assistance, of course,” he hissed. 

“Why me?”

Orochimaru gazed at him quietly, a strange look in his eyes. After a few moments of tense silence, he finally smiled his usual threatening smirk and answered, “Because you remind me of Itachi.”

Frozen, Sasuke’s mind raced as he considered Orochimaru’s proposal. Still worried about how the man knew of his job, he excused himself and stood, hurriedly moving toward the restroom. 

When he pushed into the flower-scented bathroom, he leaned over the sink, his hands pressing into the porcelain of the counter. He felt panic begin to pull at his chest, and he found himself struggling to catch his breath. 

Sasuke  _ liked  _ his job at Taka. Despite Karin and her annoying obsession with him, he enjoyed the atmosphere, and he loved being surrounded by literature. 

Orochimaru offered… money. While his job at the bookstore paid well enough, Sasuke was a college student, and rent cost money. Being able to save for the future wouldn’t be too bad either.

He had gone into this dinner expecting it to be relatively harmless, and so far, it had been. And yet, something about Orochimaru sent chills up Sasuke’s spine. 

Shaking his head slightly, he gathered his thoughts in the bathroom, avoiding his own gaze in the reflection of the mirror.

When he walked back out to the table, Sasuke took a deep breath before he could respond. 

“I accept your offer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so what did you guys think? Orochimaru is so creepy tbh. I will never forgive him for being a creepy pedo man. have a good week!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys:) hope all is well:) enjoy!

Sasuke’s hands shook as he tried to unlock the door to the apartment. A dangerous combination of fear, frustration, and anguish raged through his body, making it next to impossible to press the key into the lock. When he finally managed to push his way into the apartment, he found Naruto sitting on the couch, the blue light from his computer lighting up his face. 

The blond looked up from his screen when he heard the door open, his oceanic eyes widening when they landed on the other man’s tempestuous appearance. Sitting down on the chair he had placed next to the entranceway, Sasuke began to pull off his cheap dress shoes, scowling at the floor. 

When a presence appeared beside him, he was unsurprised at the feeling of comfort that spread throughout his chest. 

“Is everything okay, Sasuke?” 

His voice was soothing, and the black-haired man felt his heartbeat begin to slow as his body registered the feeling of  _ home.  _

Unable to respond in words, he let out a short hum to assure Naruto that he was unhurt. As he pulled off his other shoe and looked up, he was met with the bluest eyes he had ever seen, still wide with concern. Masking his surprise at the blond man’s closeness, Sasuke pulled himself back into reality. 

“I’m fine, loser,” he growled, pressing his hand against Naruto’s chest, hoping to push him away. When his palm met the warmth of the other man’s body, he found himself slightly dumbfounded at the firmness that fluttered beneath his hand. What shocked him even more was that even with his forceful shove, Naruto didn’t move an inch. He was steady, his eyes still filled with worry, though Sasuke swore he saw a flash of amusement in the blue depths. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto rumbled, backing away slightly. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.” 

Standing from his chair, Sasuke brushed past the blond, loosening his tie as he crossed the span of the living room. He felt eyes on his back the whole way, even as he firmly closed his bedroom door behind him. 

His button-up shirt still rubbed against his skin, but the exhaustion that had befallen him when he left Orochimaru outside of the restaurant was too strong to resist for even a moment longer. Though he couldn’t identify why, a sense of guilt washed over him as Sasuke crawled into bed, pulling his comforter over the top of his head. 

He hadn’t even looked back, and yet the expression he knew he would have seen on Naruto’s face was a clear image in his mind.

* * *

Days had passed as if they were hours, and Naruto and Sasuke both found themselves drowning in schoolwork. Sasuke’s new job working under Orochimaru was due to start the following Monday, and his anxiety had spiked when he turned in his two-week notice at Taka Books. 

While they hadn’t spoken much in recent days, Sasuke could always feel Naruto’s eyes on him when they were in the same room. The unerring pressure of the blond’s gaze was both a comfort and a distress as Sasuke tried to focus on literally anything else. Whenever he gave in and met those blue eyes, Sasuke became increasingly sure that Naruto knew what he was thinking. 

The first time that he found himself in the shower thinking of nothing but Naruto, and the firmness of his chest, and the intensity of his gaze, Sasuke had to bite into the palm of his hand to keep from moaning out loud. Now, when he looked into those eyes, he  _ knew  _ Naruto could sense his shame. 

It was a distraction, Sasuke thought. Nothing more. He was sure that this unusual attraction was his body’s way of fighting against the disgust caused by Orochimaru, and perhaps an indication that he hadn’t been taking care of his physical needs as well as he should. He couldn’t say he had ever been attracted to a man, but he also wasn’t sure he’d ever been attracted to  _ anyone.  _

But this was  _ Naruto.  _ This was the blond idiot who had driven several hours just to meet a possible roommate, who had gone to parties every weekend, and who had dumped Sasuke’s cereal all over the kitchen in a drunken haze. Of all people, it just had to be Naruto. 

The black haired man shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning up as he remembered the bright smile on the blond man’s face when he had walked into that coffee shop three months ago. The way Naruto had always had an air of positivity surrounding him, a bright light even in his darkest moments. 

Sasuke had always been the opposite. He knew that he radiated negative energy, and he knew that Naruto was far too good for him. His head told him that Naruto deserved better than what Sasuke could give, or that Naruto would only be a temporary distraction. But after years of pain and loneliness, his heart begged him to be selfish, just this once. 

As he lifted his head out of his textbook, the raven’s dark eyes found Naruto, who stood in the kitchen, an expression of intense concentration wrinkling his brow. He couldn’t look away as the tanned arms moved confidently, carefully slicing the vegetables that sat on the counter. Naruto’s endless tenacity and expertise in the kitchen was obvious, even to someone as inexperienced as Sasuke. 

Suddenly, Sasuke found himself looking into those blue eyes once again, and he flushed as he wondered how long he had been staring. The other man’s face lit up when his eyes caught Sasuke’s, taking in the dark gray eyes, wide with surprise. 

“Come here,” Naruto called. “I want to show you something.” 

Sasuke hesitantly rose from his spot on the sofa, joining the blond beside the counter. 

“Do you know how to cook?” the man asked. The raven shook his head slightly, looking down at the knife and wooden cutting board before him. “I thought so. Here, hold this.” 

With that, Naruto moved to the side slightly and shoved the handle of the knife unceremoniously into Sasuke’s grasp. The dark haired man gaped at him slightly, gripping the handle as if it were going to run away from him. Naruto giggled, brushing his fingers against the back of Sasuke’s hand. 

“You’re holding it too tight,” he said gently. “Hold it like this.” He maneuvered the other man’s hand closer to the blade, shifting his fingers until they were in the correct position along the polished metal. Sasuke could feel the warmth that Naruto always seemed to radiate, and his hand tingled wherever the blond touched. “Good. Now I want you to chop this.” 

He set an onion on the cutting board, shifting away slightly to allow Sasuke some space. The black-haired man shivered at the cold that met him when the other man moved away. Lifting an eyebrow in challenge, Sasuke picked up the onion and began to slice at it with the knife. He had only made a few cuts when he heard a chuckle slip from Naruto’s mouth. His head whipped around to glare at the boy, who held up his hands in surrender. 

“Sorry,” he laughed, “but you have no idea what you’re doing.” 

“Obviously,” Sasuke muttered. His shoulders tensed when that same warmth pressed against his back. He felt the warm breath hit his ear as Naruto wrapped his arms around his torso, leaning over his shoulder to see the cutting board. 

“It should look like this,” he said, cutting a few slices down the onion. “Evenly spaced, all the same size. That way, they all cook at the same pace.” Naruto pressed the blade back into Sasuke’s grip, removing his arms from around his waist, but still watching over his shoulder. His whole body shuddered slightly at the contact, and Sasuke felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. 

He glared down at the vegetable determinedly, lifting the knife threateningly as he prepared to follow Naruto’s instructions. This time, he made it all the way through the onion without a peep from Naruto, who still hadn’t pulled away from Sasuke’s back. When the boy set the knife down on the cutting board, the blond finally spoke up.

“You’re a fast learner,” he stated. “It took me days to learn my knife skills. And a lot of criticism from Granny Tsunade.” 

“But you’re better,” Sasuke replied, shifting his head slightly to meet the blue eyes over his shoulder. “Easily.” 

Naruto moved back to lean against the opposite counter, scratching the back of his head, an embarrassed smile on his lips. He was quick to change the subject.

“Since you helped, do you want some dinner? You’ve earned it.” 

“I chopped an onion,” Sasuke stated. His back was still warm. 

“You still helped,” Naruto insisted, a grin taking over his face. The black-haired boy sighed. 

“Fine,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I suppose it can’t be too bad.” 

Naruto pouted for only a moment, but cheerfully returned to finish cutting everything he needed for their meal. He skillfully cut and sliced each vegetable in seconds, and before Sasuke knew it, they were sitting at the dinner table, chopsticks in hand. 

When Naruto smiled at him between bites, Sasuke smiled back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you guys liked the chapter! please let me know what you thought! i love reading all of your comments! I try to reply to all of them, but times are busy, so I always end up replying right before i post the next chapterxD whoops. anyway, have a good week!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! hope everything is going well! I'm having some writer's block on the next chapter of this, so we'll see if I manage to post next week. but I had this one all ready to go for you guys, and I didn't want to deprive you:))) enjoy!

“I hope your essays are going well,” Kakashi called over the din as students tossed their notebooks and laptops into their bags. “I would say I’m looking forward to reading them, but… I’m an advocate for honesty.” 

Sasuke made an attempt to walk through the door with his head down, hoping to blend in with the other students to avoid his professor as he had for the past week. 

“Uchiha!” 

He stopped with a sigh, knowing he couldn’t avoid this any longer. Turning around to meet the silver-haired professor, Sasuke carefully cleared any annoyance from his expression. 

“Professor Hatake,” he nodded respectfully. Kakashi’s eyes were slightly narrowed, but the mask over the bottom half of his face made it difficult for Sasuke to interpret. 

“You haven’t been keeping up with my request, I hear.” 

He felt his eyebrows furrow, wondering what the professor could mean by that. 

“Naruto came over for dinner last weekend, and he wasn’t very happy.”

_ Take good care of him, Sasuke.  _

Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath as he recalled the words as Kakashi had said them, though they were intertwined with Jiraiya’s words as well. 

“According to him,” Kakashi continued, “the one who made him unhappy was  _ you. _ Now I’m not usually one to involve myself in my students’ private lives, but Naruto is an exception. Which, therefore, makes you an exception. Now I suggest—”

“Kakashi!” 

The man in question’s eyes widened, and both he and Sasuke nearly snapped their necks in surprise as they turned to look at the doorway. 

A man with tan skin, a high pony-tail, and a long scar over the bridge of his nose stood there, a bag of takeout hanging from his clenched fist. He was glaring at Kakashi threateningly, and Sasuke found himself wondering what kind of man would have the guts to take on the professor.

“We talked about this, Kashi,” the man said furiously. “Not getting involved, remember?” 

Kakashi sighed, his eyebrows furrowing in disappointment as the other man approached the desk. 

“You must be Sasuke,” the ponytailed man greeted, a friendly smile replacing the menacing stare. “My name is Iruka Umino. I’m a friend of Naruto’s, and this one’s fiance.” 

Sasuke was surprised at the discovery of his professor’s relationship status, but shrugged it off with a polite nod. 

“Well,” Kakashi said, turning back to Sasuke, “you can go. Don’t forget what I said.” With that, the teacher pulled his chopsticks apart and looked down at the feast his boyfriend had brought, a fond smile pinching the fabric of his mask. 

Without a word, Sasuke rushed out of the lecture hall. As he made his way out of the building, Kakashi’s words hit him like a lightning bolt: he had hurt Naruto. Sasuke had known this of course, saw to it even. But somehow, it hadn’t sunk in until someone who knew Naruto well, Kakashi, had told him so. 

He made his way to his next class in a daze, concern beginning to light up his chest and stomach, a writhing ball of worry forming in his abdomen.

* * *

Naruto was, once again, exhausted. 

He was sprawled across the sofa, his neck craned awkwardly so he could stare into the empty kitchen, remembering the interaction he’d had with Sasuke the night before. It had been one of his few nights off, and he had wanted to try a new recipe, but when he’d caught the black-haired man staring at him, he simply had to tease him. 

When he’d invited Sasuke to help him cook, Naruto had only been shooting to make him slightly uncomfortable, but instead he had nearly given himself a boner. 

He’d brushed it off quickly, assuming that it had nothing to do with Sasuke, but with the close proximity of another warm body. It had nothing to do with Naruto liking men, no way. Naruto was a ladies’ man, as his godfather Jiraiya had been before him. But then… 

Sasuke didn’t smell like a girl. He smelled like sandalwood and coffee, with the slightest hint of sweetness. Naruto wanted to cook up a dish that smelled just like him, if only to find a way to devour that delectable scent. 

The way that Sasuke’s muscles shifted under Naruto’s touch had been almost obscene, and the way his breath had hitched when Naruto pressed himself against his back, the blond’s cock twitched just thinking about it. 

_ Okay, maybe it did have something to do with Sasuke.  _

The thought sent Naruto into a frenzy, his brain throwing excuses at him from left and right, trying to come up with some situation that would explain his apparent attraction to Sasuke. 

Maybe he’d been subconsciously thinking of a girl? Or maybe his brain tricked him into thinking Sasuke  _ was  _ a girl? It really hadn’t been that long since Naruto last got laid, so it couldn’t have been  _ that _ . 

But as he gazed into the kitchen, remembering the warmth of Sasuke’s back pressed against him, Naruto’s cock began to stiffen. Within minutes, he was standing under the hot spray of the shower, panting heavily as he brought himself to his climax with a muffled moan of his roommate’s name.

* * *

Sasuke returned to the apartment later that night, allowing the door to slam closed behind him. The sound of the shower running indicated that Naruto was home, and his shoulders immediately began to relax. 

Guilt clawed its way into his chest as he recalled Kakashi’s words, reminding him of his inability to protect the blond from the world. Or even to protect Naruto from Sasuke himself. 

After removing his shoes, Sasuke dropped onto the couch, pulling a blanket over himself as he felt the shame wash over him. 

When Naruto emerged from the bathroom, he was flushed from the heat of the shower. All the way from the tips of his ears down to where he held his towel were bright red. Sasuke tried not to stare. 

“Hey ‘Suke,” Naruto said, his voice a bit scratchy. Sasuke felt his cheeks warm at the new nickname. 

“Idiot,” he replied instinctively. He cringed at the harshness in his voice, and he hid his head under the blanket. “I-I mean—” 

A door closed before he could say anything else. Dread filled him slowly, and he hoped that his insult hadn’t hurt Naruto, though he knew it likely had. He pulled himself to his feet, dragging the throw blanket with him, wrapping it around his shoulders as he walked to Naruto’s door. He had just raised his hand to knock when the door opened to reveal a shirtless Naruto. 

“Uh, Sasuke?” Naruto’s ears were red still, but it didn’t seem to be from the shower. A sheepish smile was spread across the blond’s face. 

“I’m— I’m sorry,” Sasuke forced out, his teeth grinding together at the words. Naruto’s brows lifted, his eyes full of questions. 

“F-for what?” he asked, astonished. Sasuke glared at him, tightening his grip on his blanket-cape. 

“For calling you an idiot,” he said, avoiding eye contact with the blond. 

Naruto laughed.

“It’s okay, Sasuke. I know you don’t mean it.” He stuck a hand out and ruffled Sasuke’s hair. The black-haired man froze as he remembered the last time anyone had touched him so intimately. 

It was the day before his mother died, when his father had deigned to take Sasuke and Itachi out to lunch. Fugaku had spent the whole time raving about Itachi’s accomplishments, and when he left the table to pay their bill, Itachi had looked down at his brother with a gentle smile. 

_ “You’re just as capable as I am, Sasuke. Don’t let Father tell you differently.”  _

And, in an uncharacteristic move, Itachi had done exactly what Naruto was doing at that very moment. 

“S-Sasuke?” Naruto’s hand had left his scalp, and was now hovering a few inches from Sasuke’s head. The blanket fell to the ground as Sasuke caught the blond’s wrist in his hand, all shame leaving him as he placed the other man’s hand back on the top of his head. 

A quiet tear slipped down his cheek, and Naruto gazed at him sadly, rubbing Sasuke’s head gently. 

“It’s okay, Sasuke.” Naruto scooped the other man into his arms, his fingers still carding through the spikes in Sasuke’s hair. “I’ll take care of you. It’s okay.” 

Sasuke sniffed into Naruto’s chest, his pride forcing him to find his voice. 

“I’ll be the one taking care of you, loser,” he grumbled. Naruto huffed a laugh, chuckling into Sasuke’s hair. 

“How about we take care of each other?” Naruto proposed. Sasuke considered this, not removing his head from its spot against the blond’s chest. 

“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe naruto is a horny child. hope you all enjoyed this chapter! as usual, please let me know in the comments what you all were thinking about! have a great week!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, sorry it's been a while. finals are rough. I had been planning on posting today for a while, but this might not be any good. I was supposed to finish editing and revising today, but my cat passed away really suddenly, so i just wanted to get this out there for you guys. i hope you guys like it, and please tell me what you're thinking. oh, and i'm sorry i didn't answer any comments on the last chapter, i promise i read them all. enjoy!

Careful to keep his expression blank, Sasuke allowed the heavy door to fall closed behind him, the sound echoing through the large space. 

Light reflected off Kabuto’s glasses as he looked up from his computer, a smirk finding its way onto his face as he met Sasuke’s dark eyes. 

“Sasuke,” he greeted, his voice mocking. “You’re right on time.”

Sasuke hummed, his eyes flickering across the room. “What am I supposed to be doing?”

“Ah,” Kabuto said, pushing up his round spectacles, “Professor Orochimaru will be in to train you shortly. Just take a seat over there.” The silver-haired man gestured to the desk opposite his own, which was empty save for a computer monitor and keyboard. 

With a nod, Sasuke dropped his backpack beside the swivel chair and gently sat behind the desk. He held back a yawn, wishing his start time had been later in the day. His nerves for the new job were making his fingertips tingle, and he felt a tension in his chest as Kabuto smiled at him sadistically. Sasuke wondered lightly if Kabuto would be easier to work with than Karin, but somehow found himself doubting it. The possessive tone in his voice when he spoke about their boss was concerning at best, and frightening at worst. 

_ Itachi, _ Sasuke reminded himself.  _ This job isn’t about you, it’s about him.  _

“Good morning, dearest Sasuke,” Orochimaru hissed. How hadn’t Sasuke noticed him come in? The man was like a snake: deadly silent and easy to miss until he was already on top of you. 

“Orochimaru,” he replied, forcing his voice to remain steady. 

“Come into my office,” the man said, licking his lips. “I’ll explain your duties here.” 

By the time Sasuke left the psychology building a few hours later, his hands were shaking in fear and rage. Orochimaru was truly a sick man. How he would manage to keep his cool while working under that snake was a mystery. While on the surface it appeared that Sasuke’s job involved answering the phone and replying to emails, the deeper meaning of his newfound path was complex. 

Sasuke suspected that Orochimaru’s relationship with Kabuto was much more intense than that of employer and employee, and Orochimaru’s not-so-subtle hints to Sasuke were becoming clear. Each time the old professor looked at him and licked his lips, a shiver went down Sasuke’s spine, and he felt an urge to flee. Kabuto, on the other hand, seemed to have the opposite reaction when the gesture was directed at him, a smile crossing his face as he leaned closer to the man. 

Another shiver went through Sasuke as he marched across campus, shoving his cold fingers into gloves as he walked. 

“Saucey!”

His eyes widening slightly, Sasuke sped up as the high-pitched voice echoed his name behind him. When the red-haired woman caught him by the arm, he ground his teeth together and kept walking.

“Sasuke, where have you been? I missed you at work yesterday,” Karin cried. 

“I don’t work at Taka anymore,” he said, still trying to shake her off. She let out a horrified gasp, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. 

“You left me? How could you?” 

“Get off, Karin.” 

“Sasuke!” Another voice echoed his name, and his head whipped around, searching for the source as Karin released him in surprise. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke breathed, relief filling his chest. 

“Naruto,” Karin mumbled, annoyed. 

“Hey Karin, what’s up?” 

“Nothing, you blond bimbo. Leave me and Sasuke alone,” she snapped. 

Naruto let out a short laugh, looking at his roommate with an eyebrow raised. Sasuke shook his head, a slight hint of desperation in his eyes. 

“Actually, Sasuke and I have somewhere to be,” he dismissed her, grabbing Sasuke by the arm with a forced grin. “Later, Karin.” 

The woman let out an indignant huff, stomping off in the opposite direction as the two boys made their way towards their apartment. 

“Thanks,” Sasuke said, rubbing his arm where Karin had clawed at him. 

“Sure.” 

They continued on in silence, their arms brushing together as they walked. All thoughts of Orochimaru disappeared in Naruto’s presence.

“What were you doing on campus, anyway? I thought you didn’t have classes today,” Naruto finally asked. 

“New job,” Sasuke explained. The blond hummed, pulling open the apartment building’s door and gesturing for the other man to go in first. 

Sasuke couldn’t take his eyes off of his roommate as Naruto pulled his gloves off, blowing on his fingers to warm them. 

“Do you like it?” 

“Huh?” 

“Your new job,” Naruto elaborated. 

“Oh,” Sasuke muttered. “I don’t know yet. First day.” 

Why was this so… awkward? Things weren’t usually this strained with Naruto. Had something changed?

They climbed the stairs quietly, only the sound of their footsteps breaking the silence. When they reached the platform, the black-haired boy’s mouth moved before he could think. 

“Are you…” Sasuke was unsure what he was trying to say. “Are you okay?” 

Naruto’s blue eyes widened, his hand paused as he reached for the door handle. 

“W- Why?” 

“You seem… quiet… today.” Sasuke couldn’t look at him, his eyes trained on the floor. 

“I-I’m alright. Just…” Naruto trailed off.

“Just?” Sasuke pressed, his worry for his friend pushing away any thought of his pride. Naruto pulled the stairway door open, moving to their apartment’s entrance. He quietly pushed his key into the lock, biting his lip in deep thought. 

“Nevermind,” Naruto replied, walking into the apartment. Sasuke followed, pulling his shoes off and placing down his bag gently. Naruto kicked off his own shoes, dropping his backpack onto the floor. 

“Naruto. You can tell me,” Sasuke reminded him. 

“Eh, it’s fine. I’ll figure it out. Later, ‘Suke.” 

Before Sasuke could say a word, Naruto was gone, the door to his bedroom closed behind him. Worry furrowed the black-haired man’s brow, and he found it impossible to focus for the rest of the day. 

Naruto didn’t emerge from his room all night.

* * *

Naruto buried his head in his hands, letting out a frustrated sigh. He knew Sasuke was worried about him, but his shame was too present to think of anything else. 

When he’d seen Karin clinging to Sasuke, Naruto felt a feeling he’d never experienced wrack through his body: jealousy. 

Though he knew they worked together, the sight of them so close was painful. 

After the night that he and Sasuke promised to protect one another, any doubt he had carried disappeared. He knew he liked Sasuke. And not just as a friend. As much as Naruto tried to deny it, the fact was that he was attracted to his roommate. 

That feeling terrified him more than anything he had seen since his parents’ death. 

The jealousy that hit him when he saw Karin’s claws digging into Sasuke’s arm was the worst part. Naruto had always prided himself on being an easygoing person. Even with his exes, he’d never been jealous when they’d been around other people. Cheating was different for Naruto. It wasn’t about the fact that they had been with someone else, but the fact that they had broken a promise. Now,  _ one person  _ had changed that without even trying. 

And Naruto didn’t have a right to be jealous of Karin, either. She had as much claim to Sasuke as Naruto did: none at all. 

Maybe, Naruto told himself, it was because it was his cousin. Karin had always irked him, and maybe it just felt different because it was her. 

He sat down on the edge of his bed, his thoughts crumbling into useless fragments as frustrated tears poured down his cheeks.

* * *

A pounding on the front door echoed into Sasuke’s room, pulling him out of his slumber. He lifted his head from the pillow, mild irritation crossing his mind. He climbed out of the bed, stumbling out of the bedroom and toward the door. 

When he yanked it open, a scowl appeared on his face as he met the green eyes of the red-head standing across from him. 

Gaara reflected Sasuke’s expression on his own tattooed face. 

“Where is Naruto?” 

“He’s sleeping. Come back later.” Sasuke tried to close the door with a huff, but Gaara stuck his foot in the frame, pushing his way inside. 

“Naruto,” Gaara called, already making his way to the blond’s door. He opened the door quietly, sticking his head inside. Sasuke let out an irritated sigh, but simply went back to his room, crawling back onto his bed. 

Soon, exhaustion took over, the red-haired man was forgotten, and Sasuke was asleep once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 please let me know what you thought, have a good week!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! hope you've all had a good holiday season. I don't know about you guys, but i am so ready for this year to be over. anyway, enjoy!

Naruto groaned at the sound of his name, rolling over to hide his face from his friend. Gaara stood over him, arms crossed, staring down at him as the blond tried desperately to fall back asleep.

“Naruto,” Gaara repeated, “I know you’re awake.”

“Damn it,” he mumbled, pressing his face deeper into his pillow. “What do you want?” 

“Call it a family meeting,” the red-head explained. “Kakashi and Iruka want to talk to you.” 

The blond didn’t move for a moment, but eventually sighed, lifting his scarred face to glare at his friend. The green eyes didn’t waver. 

“Damn it, fine,” he grumbled, rolling out of his bed onto the floor. He quickly pulled on a sweatshirt, ruffling his hair as he shuffled out of his bedroom with Gaara in tow. 

Naruto continued to complain through their entire walk, which Gaara gracefully ignored. When they arrived at their older friends’ house, the blond pushed his way through the door without knocking, dropping onto the couch.

“What do you want?” he asked, irritated. 

“Grumpy today, aren’t we?” Kakashi replied from his spot at the table, not looking up from his laptop. Naruto huffed. 

“You’re one to talk, Kashi,” Iruka said as he walked down the stairs. 

“I’m always like this,” the professor stated. “He’s not.” 

“What’s this about, Iruka?” Gaara’s voice of reason pierced through the din. The pony-tailed man let out a sigh. 

“This one,” he gestured to his boyfriend, “has been threatening your roommate, Naruto.” 

Suddenly, Naruto was wide awake, his eyes shocked as he looked at the silver-haired man. Kakashi rolled his eyes with a sigh. 

“I didn’t  _ threaten  _ him,” he explained. “I asked him to keep an eye on you, that’s all.” He took a quiet sip from his coffee mug, his nose wrinkling slightly as he tasted the beverage. 

“That’s not his job, and you know it,” Iruka scolded. He shifted his gaze to Naruto. “I thought you should know, since it seemed like it upset Sasuke. I only heard the end of it, but Kakashi was yelling at him about hurting you.” 

“K-Kakashi,” Naruto stuttered, his blue eyes were full of hurt and worry, “why would you…” 

“Because I knew his brother. And Itachi was prone to hurting the people he cared about. I doubt Sasuke is any different.”

“You— You can’t judge Sasuke based on his family! You, of all people should know that. I don’t know about Sasuke’s brother, but I know about Sasuke, and he’s a good person. He might be kind of tough to get along with at first, but he’s a softie inside, I swear. He’s been hurt too. As much as I have. As much as any of us have. And you hurting him like that doesn’t make it any better for anyone, including me. I’m trying to help him in any way I can, and I was hoping he would eventually be one of us. But if you’re going to treat him like that, for no reason, you’re not the person I thought you were.” 

All of the blood had drained from Kakashi’s face, and he stared at Naruto, his dark eyes wide. The blond was breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down, but after a moment of failure, he stormed outside. Once the wind hit his face, he could breathe again. He whipped his head around, and he took a seat on the steps leading up to the house, burying his head in his hands. 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting on the stairs, but his ears were red and tingling with the cold of the late October air by the time a warm presence sat beside him. 

“You’re right,” Kakashi said. Naruto lifted his head out of his hands, looking at the professor. “I was being stupid, asking a kid to take care of you. It was irresponsible, and reckless. I’m sorry, Naruto.” 

The older man wouldn’t meet his eyes, but Naruto read the sincerity on his face. He gazed at him for a moment, slightly stunned at the apology. 

“I’m not the one to apologize to,” the blond said with a grin. “Come on, time for you to apologize to Sasuke.” 

He stood, brushing himself off, then held a hand out to Kakashi. The silver-haired man pulled a mask out of his pocket, put it over his mouth and nose, then allowed Naruto to help him to his feet. Kakashi opened the door to the house slightly, calling to Iruka that they were leaving, then the two of them began the walk to Naruto and Sasuke’s apartment. 

The walk was quiet, the two men enjoying the peace of the early morning. When they arrived at the parking lot, Kakashi spoke up. 

“He doesn’t have class today?” 

“His Tuesdays start later, he should still be home.” 

The professor nodded, and they walked through the building’s front door, beginning to climb the stairs. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto called, pushing open the door to the apartment. “You here?” 

Silence answered him, but Naruto, undeterred, kicked off his shoes and walked to his roommate’s bedroom door, knocking on it loudly. Kakashi stood firmly beside the door, watching as the student moved to irritate his friend, and trying to avoid letting nerves take over before his apology. 

“Ay, ‘Suke, come on.” The door remained unmoved by the blond’s words. After a few annoyed sighs and frustrated groans, Naruto opened the door, walking into the black-haired boy’s room uninvited. When he found Sasuke lying in bed, headphones dangling from his ears as he slept, Naruto took a moment to admire the man. 

His dark hair was spread out across the pillow, and his usually tense face was calm and relaxed. Quiet music drifted from his earbuds, which Naruto couldn’t identify. The blond found himself thinking that Sasuke was beautiful.

Leaning in slowly, Naruto poked a tan finger into one of Sasuke’s cheeks, hoping to rouse him gently now that he’d found him sleeping so peacefully. When those black eyes fluttered open to meet his own, the blond was reminded of the day before, and his shameful jealousy while Sasuke pleaded for him to get Karin away from him. He felt a painful tug in his chest at the memory.

“What?” Sasuke asked, mild annoyance lacing his voice as he pulled out an earbud, turning his head to look at his friend. 

“Kakashi wants to talk to you,” Naruto choked out. The other boy froze, his breath hitching slightly. Both eyes were open now, sending his usual glare at the blond. Naruto thought he saw a hint of fear in the other man’s dark gaze. 

“About what?” Sasuke’s voice was calm and cool despite the look in his eyes.

“I’ll let him explain. He’s in the living room,” the blond said, his nerves making his voice shake. 

The other man threw his blankets off, smacking Naruto with them in the process, who let out an indignant shout. “Fine,” Sasuke said, “let me get dressed.” 

Naruto nodded, dashing out of the bedroom without another word. Kakashi had removed his shoes in the time Naruto had taken to wake Sasuke, and had made himself comfortable on their couch. The professor lifted an eyebrow, which the blond responded to with a silent nod. The blond moved to the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee in the hopes that it would help put Sasuke in a good mood today. 

The black-haired boy emerged from his room a few minutes later, ruffling his hair as he walked past Kakashi without a glance. Naruto quietly passed him a mug of black coffee as Sasuke made his way into the kitchen. Sasuke thanked him with a nod, taking a long swig of the steaming beverage before slamming the mug down and speaking up. 

“Professor Hatake,” Sasuke started, “what can I help you with?” 

Kakashi was quiet as he joined them in the kitchen. Naruto handed him a cup of coffee as well, sipping quietly at his own as he moved to leave them alone. Before he could take more than a step, a hand fisted into the sleeve of his shirt, yanking him back to Sasuke’s side. 

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sasuke muttered. Naruto shuddered at the sound of his roommate’s low voice, and nodded in agreement. The black-haired man’s hand loosened in the blond’s orange sleeve, but he didn’t let go, leaving his fingers hanging in the cradle of the fabric. 

“Uchiha,” Kakashi coughed, “Sasuke. I’m… I want to apologize for what happened a couple weeks ago. I was using my position as your teacher to intimidate you. It was irresponsible and unfair of me to put all that on you. I’m… I’m sorry, Sasuke.” 

Sasuke hadn’t moved throughout Kakashi’s speech. His hand tightening in Naruto’s shirtsleeve was the only indication he had heard the professor at all. Wordlessly, the blond shifted his free arm and gripped the pale hand that was clutching the fabric, rubbing at the cool skin he found there with his thumb. 

The dark-haired man took in a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say. When he found his voice, he could only manage a single word.

“Whatever.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what did you think? lemme know! have a good week!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! Happy new year! :) thank you so much for your support, you've all been lovely <3 I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!

“What’s the matter?” Gaara asked, his green eyes suspicious as he looked Naruto up and down. 

“Nothing,” Naruto grumbled, burying his head under his covers. 

“Naruto, I can tell when you’ve been crying. I didn’t say anything earlier, because we were in a hurry, but I’m asking now. What happened?”

The blond groaned at his friend, frustrated with the red-head’s near-psychic ability to tell when he was upset. 

“Naruto, you know I’ll keep asking until—”

“You were right, okay?” 

“Right about what?” 

“About Sasuke,” he hissed, sitting up quickly to glare at his friend. “You were right. I  _ like  _ him. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

“Ah,” Gaara said knowingly. “You should tell him.” 

“What? No way!” Naruto’s blue eyes were wide with shock and panic. 

“Why not?”

“Because he’ll hate me forever! I don’t want to lose anyone else.” The blond mumbled the last part, hoping the red-head wouldn’t question it. 

“If you lose him over that, he’s not worth having.” 

“But—”

“Naruto,” Gaara interrupted. “You are my best friend. You were the first friend I ever had. If I know anything at all, I know that you deserve all the good that you receive. However, you are an idiot about some things. Love is one of those things. Don’t be a fool, or you’ll regret it the rest of your life.” 

The man stood from his spot on the edge of the blond’s bed, dusting off his clothes as he walked out of the room, and pulled on his shoes without another word. Before Naruto could process Gaara’s words, the red-haired man was gone. 

By the time he came to his senses, it was time for Naruto to head to work. He rushed around the room, irritated at his friend’s directness which caused his distraction. 

He spent the shift in silence beside Shino, who he was grateful to be working with that day. His thoughts were wild as he sorted through Gaara’s advice in his mind, attempting to come to some sort of decision. 

Sasuke’s hand, fisted in the fabric of Naruto’s shirt. The look on Sasuke’s face when he told him about his abusive father. Sasuke dropping his coffee mug when Naruto got too close. All of those experiences were factors— factors that Naruto was unsure what to do with. 

One thing he knew for sure now was that he liked Sasuke in a way that he had never liked anyone before. Not Sakura, nor anyone else who came before her. 

Naruto stirred the sauce he’d been making absentmindedly, the dark color of the soy reminding him of Sasuke’s eyes on the day they had first met. When he had first opened the door to the cafe in Suna, and he had locked eyes with his potential roommate, his eager grin had almost faltered. He should have known, even then, that Sasuke was different. 

Perhaps he thought of that time differently now. Perhaps it was not the way Naruto remembered it. Either way, his feelings for Sasuke were real. The question was whether he should take Gaara’s advice or not. To tell Sasuke, or to not tell him? If he  _ did  _ tell Sasuke, their newly formed friendship could come to a halt. But if he didn’t tell Sasuke, what would become of him? Would Naruto end up drowning in a pit of regret for the rest of his life? 

As he climbed into his car at the end of his shift, he realized that he knew the answer to the question he had been pondering all day. 

He had spent too much time living in despair already.

* * *

Sasuke rolled his eyes discreetly as Kabuto ordered him around the office, always making sure he was on his toes. 

His day had been strange enough, starting with Gaara pounding on the door. Then Naruto showed up at his bedside, causing his heart to pound in his chest and his breathing to catch. Then of course the interaction with Kakashi had finished off the weirdness. Or so he thought. 

Work had been just as bad as the first day, though this time he had been training under Kabuto instead of Orochimaru. While the professor was mostly just creepy and manipulative, Kabuto was practically evil. He seemed to be bitter towards Sasuke, likely for Orochimaru’s interest in him. Sasuke had picked up on Kabuto’s crush on their boss fairly quickly. Not that he could understand it— the man looked like he could start oozing slime from his pores at any moment. He took out his bitterness by delegating every task that he deemed unpleasant enough to Sasuke. 

“Get the Professor a cup of coffee.” 

“Clean the restroom.”

“That isn’t how you make his latte.”

“Go get those files from the basement.”

“Do this.”

“Find that.”

All of the incessant orders were putting Sasuke on edge. When he finally left at the end of the day, his legs were sore from jogging up and down the stairs to find everything Kabuto asked for. 

On his walk home, he found himself thinking about Naruto, and the strange reassurance he felt from his presence. The warmth Naruto brought to his life was not something that Sasuke was used to, but it was certainly something he enjoyed. When everything around him seemed cold, or he felt lost, Naruto was suddenly there. His presence was as bright as his blue eyes and the yellow of his hair. The idea that he was returning home to Naruto was a consolation after his hellish day of work. 

When had Naruto wormed his way into Sasuke’s heart? How had he done it so easily? Sasuke thought of Naruto’s body pressed up against his back, guiding his hands as they cut vegetables for their meal, and his cheeks warmed despite the cold wind whipping around him. 

When he arrived at the parking lot outside their apartment building, he was surprised to see his favorite blond head of hair peeking out over the top of a familiar car. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke called. The blond looked up, blue eyes meeting his own. Sasuke watched Naruto’s cheeks turn red as he strode toward the blond, but brushed it off as a reaction to the cold weather. 

“S-Sasuke,” Naruto greeted. They turned and walked into their building together, climbing the stairs together in an unusually tense silence. After they had kicked their shoes off in the entrance to their home, the two of them stood without moving, not looking at each other. 

“Um—”

“Naruto—”

They stopped, a flush reaching both of their cheeks as they apologized under their breath for speaking at the same time. 

“Go ahead,” Sasuke mumbled. 

“Uh, how was work?” Naruto asked, shuffling his socked feet. 

“Annoying,” Sasuke replied quietly, watching Naruto as he played with his fingers. 

“Sorry.” 

Sasuke said nothing, pulling his coat off as he waited for Naruto to speak again. 

“Um, want some coffee?” The black-haired man nodded gratefully, watching the blond hurriedly shove his coat sleeves down his arms and rush to the kitchen. Sasuke made himself comfortable in his usual corner of the couch, curling into a ball as the scent of brewing grounds filled the apartment. 

A few minutes later, Naruto returned to the couch in fresh clothes, two steaming mugs in hand. He set one on the coffee table in front of Sasuke, sipping quietly at his own before he spoke. 

“You know, I’ve only been in one relationship before.” Sasuke looked up from his mug, confused by Naruto’s point. “I liked people, of course,” Naruto explained, “but Sakura was the first person I actually dated. I liked her for a long time before I got up the guts to ask her out. We were only together for two months before she cheated on me.” Sasuke sent Naruto a pitying expression, who waved it off. “I probably should have been more upset about it in the long run, but instead I just used it as an excuse to binge drink.” 

Sasuke inhaled sharply, remembering the day he found Naruto on the floor of their kitchen, surrounded by wet cereal and the smell of booze. 

Naruto nodded in answer to Sasuke’s silent question. “Yeah, you remember that better than I do, I’m sure.” He took a long drink of his coffee, his oceanic eyes fluttering closed. “I’m sorry about all that, by the way. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life.” 

The other man nodded, quietly accepting the apology. When Naruto’s eyes opened, he locked on to Sasuke’s own, as dark as pitch.

“But meeting you wasn’t one of them. Sasuke, you’re one of the best things that has ever happened to me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh we're getting thereeeee! please let me know what you're thinking as usual, I adore reading your comments so much. have a good week all!
> 
> Oh, and just so you're all aware, my upload schedule will likely be changing soon. I usually upload on Mondays lately, but when the semester starts I'll probably have to change that, but I'll have to figure that out when I get there!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god it's chapter 30. holy shit. anyway, I forgot what day it was yesterday, so I wrote this today! this is a big ol' important chapter, so please enjoy!

Sasuke froze. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto continued, “I think I—”

“Stop.” 

Naruto’s eyes widened as he choked on his words, his mouth hanging halfway open.

“I’m not,” the black-haired man said. “You can’t say that.”

“It’s true—”

“It’s not. I’m not… I’m not _good_ like you, Naruto. There’s no way I could be something good to _you. You’re_ the best thing that’s happened to _me_ in a long time _._ ” 

Naruto’s breath hitched as he processed the other man’s words. When he found himself again, he set his mug on the table, shifting his body closer to Sasuke’s side of the couch. The other man was staring down into the depths of his coffee, avoiding his friend’s gaze.

“Sasuke,” he said seriously, “you are good. You are _better_ than good.” He pulled Sasuke’s mug out of his hands, setting it beside his own. He turned back to the raven, gently placing his hands under his jaw, tilting Sasuke’s head up to meet his eyes. “Sasuke,” Naruto breathed, “to me, you are _perfect._ ”

The pale man’s breathing hitched at the words. He searched the blue depths in front of him, looking for any trace of dishonesty or uncertainty, but finding none. 

“How— How can you— Why?” 

“Every single thing I learn about you only makes me want to know more. You helped me when I was at my worst, even though it made you uncomfortable. If there is anything I know about you, it’s that you’re good,” Naruto whispered, their closeness creating a thick tension in the space between them. 

“Sasuke,” Naruto said, his eyes locked with Sasuke’s, “I like you a lot more than I should.”

Sasuke’s breathing hitched again, and before he could catch it, Naruto’s soft lips were pressed to his own. The pressure was gentle yet demanding, just like the blond himself. Sasuke was frozen in place, his eyes still open as Naruto pulled away, his hands dropping from the pale face before him. Naruto was blushing, embarrassment clearly written across his face, sadness in his eyes. 

“I— I’m sorry—” 

Sasuke, finding his will to move once again, pressed his own lips to the blond’s, cutting off his worthless apology. Sasuke had never kissed anyone, but he found that he never wanted to kiss anyone but Naruto. The way their mouths moved in sync was effortless, as if they could read the other’s mind. Naruto’s strong hands found their way into Sasuke’s black hair, tugging gently as they kissed. 

When they ran out of breath, Naruto pulled back slightly, both of them panting as they scanned the other’s face. 

“You— You too?” Naruto asked, breathing heavily.

“Yeah,” Sasuke breathed.

* * *

Sasuke thought he must have a fever, because his face had been flushed _all day._ It started in the morning, when Naruto passed him a cup of coffee across the counter with a smile. His pale face had warmed and turned bright red, and it had stayed that way all the way until he reached Orochimaru’s office in the afternoon. One of his classmates had actually gone out of their way to ask if he was okay.

_No,_ Sasuke thought, _I’m not okay._

The moment he had separated from Naruto the night before, entering his bedroom to be left to his thoughts, he regretted everything. His one goal was to find Itachi and to demand an explanation. Everything he had done from the moment his brother walked out the door had been done with that goal in mind. From attending the same school as Itachi to the job with Orochimaru, everything was to find Itachi. 

But when Naruto was around, Sasuke wasn’t thinking of Itachi. Instead, he was thinking of whether Naruto would like chocolate in his coffee, or what it might be like to hold Naruto’s hand as they walked through campus. 

Naruto was a wrench in the gears. 

_A wrench that needs to be removed, despite the damage it may cause._

As he tossed his winter coat over the back of his desk chair, he heard Orochimaru’s voice echo through the office as his door opened.

“... lovely to see you, darling. I’ve missed you dearly since you graduated. Do visit again soon.” 

“Perhaps,” another, hauntingly familiar voice replied. “We’ll meet again, Orochimaru.” 

What Sasuke hadn’t been expecting was to find his brother in the middle of his workplace, chatting politely to his boss. He fell into his chair, ducking his head in a feeble attempt to hide his identity. The shock of seeing his brother’s face was instant. 

“Ah, that’s right,” Orochimaru hissed. “I do believe that you know my newest assistant, Itachi.” 

Sasuke’s breathing began to quicken, his cheeks now flushed with anger instead of embarrassment. 

“Is that so? Were we in a class together?” This question was addressed to Sasuke. Orochimaru’s silence confirmed this. 

Sasuke took a deep, calming breath, steadying himself for this unexpected interaction. 

“No,” he said, raising his head to meet his brother’s dark eyes. “It’s been a long time, brother.” 

The only sign that Itachi had acknowledged was he said was a slight widening of his eyes; an imperceptible change to anyone outside of the conservative Uchiha family. 

“Sasuke,” Itachi greeted, his voice booming even more than it had the last time the younger Uchiha had heard it. 

Neither man could think of a thing to say, simply sizing each other up over Sasuke’s desk. Orochimaru, however, looked positively gleeful at the consequences of his shameless meddling. 

“Well, I’ll leave you two to catch up. Sasuke, feel free to take the day off if you need it,” the professor hissed, slinking back into his office without another word. 

With Orochimaru’s departure, Itachi’s shoulders seemed to relax slightly, and his dark gaze fell upon his younger brother’s face. 

“Would you care for some lunch?” he asked suddenly. Sasuke glanced at his brother, finding only his usual blank stare. Without a word, the younger man stood, shoving his arms through his coat sleeves in a silent agreement to his brother’s offer. 

They walked in silence, and Sasuke took the opportunity to process this turn of events. 

Itachi was _here._ Now. Beside him. And of all things, they were going to get _lunch._ After years of radio silence, after leaving Sasuke to fend for himself against their abusive father, he and Itachi were going to _lunch._ The idea seemed ridiculous, even to Sasuke. 

“Why are we doing this?” Sasuke asked suddenly, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Itachi turned, hesitating in his steps as he pondered the question. 

“You’re my brother, Sasuke, and I love you.” 

“You don’t _love_ me,” Sasuke spat. “You _left_ me! You don’t leave people you _love_ with your abusive, asshole of a father. I haven’t heard from you in half a decade! You’ve never cared about anyone but yourself.” 

Itachi hung his head, his feet carrying him closer to Sasuke. Before he knew it, the younger Uchiha had been wrapped in a vice of a hug. It had been longer than a long time since Sasuke had been hugged by a family member. The week his mother died, perhaps. But since then, fists to the face had become his father’s primary expression of affection. 

On the other hand, Itachi had never been one to show affection, especially not to his family. The occasional poke on the forehead was the best he could do for Sasuke. 

“Why?” Sasuke asked, his arms dangling at his sides. “Why did you leave me with him?”

“I’m sorry,” Itachi said, his voice muffled by his brother’s shoulder. “I couldn’t—”

Sasuke, coming to his senses, pulled away from his brother’s grip around his torso. For the first time ever, Sasuke looked into his brother’s eyes and found an emotion: regret. 

“Why didn’t you come back for me?” 

“Father would have hurt you even more if I tried,” Itachi explained.

“He hurt me plenty even without you. Don’t make stupid excuses.” 

Itachi winced. 

“I’m sorry, Sasuke.”

* * *

Naruto was beginning to worry about Sasuke. He’d been gone since mid-morning, and the sun was beginning to sink below the horizon. The blond had been chopping vegetables to prepare a nice dinner for the two of them on his day off, elated by Sasuke’s acceptance of his feelings. But now the meal was sitting on the stove, ready to eat, but Sasuke was nowhere to be found. 

After a while of useless waiting, Naruto dished himself up a serving and sat in front of the TV, browsing through the late night shows that had always annoyed him. When he’d finished his meal, he made up a second plate for Sasuke, covering it with foil and placing a post-it with his roommate’s name on it in hopes that he would be able to eat it eventually. As he curled into bed that night, he pulled out his phone, sending Sasuke one final text, concern pulling at his chest. 

_Please, be okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoo that was a lot. hope you're all doing well:) please let me know what you think!
> 
> Edit: Hey guys, idk how many of you will see this, but I'm having a lot of trouble writing right now, so I'm not exactly sure when the next chapter will be up. That, combined with the start of the semester, is making it difficult to get anything done right now. I promise I'm not giving up on this fic, I'm just a little stuck. Thanks for understanding:)


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